


Web of Shadows

by CharaTheOperator



Category: DCU (Comics), Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Spider-Man - All Media Types, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (IDW Comics), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Venom (Comics), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, DC Comics References, Marvel Universe, Multi, Multiple Crossovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-11-26 02:47:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 22,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20922917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharaTheOperator/pseuds/CharaTheOperator
Summary: There are many universes in the Multiverse. Some familiar, while others are the fusion of those familiar universes, in places where the thin veil within realities is frail and weak. In one such universe lives Edwina Brock, or Venom.In some other world, she would have been a man obsessed with Spider-Man, but here, she is a woman. And after years of fighting her hated foe as a way to vent the frustration for her failed life, one fateful encounters leads her to a different path. One that could lead her to become the heroine she always wanted to be, or the monster she is trying hard to not become. In a world filled with hope and despair. And capes all familiar yet different.-- Fem!Eddie Brock Fic. Reimagined/Fandom Fusion Universe with heroes ranging from all parts of comics---





	1. Downtrodden

[Zap](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go6po2Za_18&feature=youtu.be).  


_"Earlier this morning. Reports of an unidentified flying child in Kansas stir the suspicion and wonder of the local population of the town of Smallville, who wonder about the possibility of a mutant-"_

Zap.

_"The Avengers refused to issue a statement about the recent worry about the mutant problem around the country after their recent operation in Washington D.C. Director Nick-"_

Zap.  


_"Tonight at Tonight at West! We have a special guest in the form of mister Graydon Creed himself, a notorious billionaire who's-"_

  
"Wait. WHAT?! HE has a SHOW NOW?! A talk show?!"  
  
[Edwina'](https://i.imgur.com/yKsjF7x.png)s shout of disbelief shakes the crappy and messy apartment she was in, almost bolting out of her couch to jump onto the TV. That man, Frank West, the last time she saw him he was writing tabloids and other less savoury actions to keep himself afloat. And now? Now he had a TV show, and she lots hers. It was certainly a harsh hit to her, all things considered, less than well-kept pride.  
  
Laying back onto the old and trashy couch that she was laying on from the side as she looked into her TV a few moments more, only now realizing that there were few interesting things to do. Her gaze then wanders further around, watching her surroundings with tired eyes that only get even more as she watches. It was hard to believe that she ever had a better life than this one, that she was a respected and well-paid reporter before...All of this. She still remembers the first apartment here in New York that she managed to rent up by herself. Big, spacious, not exactly luxurious but it had everything she could have asked for. Rooms, balcony, a good kitchen to make herself something of quality. Now? Now she only had the view of the old, decrepit apartment at one of the worst parts of Brooklyn. Torn-out and dirty walls with holes that, despite her not wanting to admit it, were probably caused in some hysterical fit of rage by her. The place was somewhat big, but only because it lacked any personal room and it was merely a single space where everything fits in. Her large bed in one corner with a crucifix above it was practically the only well-kept part of the place, for the kitchen was still a mess that she had yet to completely clean today. Her furniture was old and worn. The small corner where she kept all her training equipment was not exactly in the best of times, due to the constant use. Again, it was a[mess](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/13505f4a-3e71-40d3-beec-dc9b89f45903/d2raei1-bc2ee3f0-32c8-4c53-8c08-d6170ce2dfb0.jpg/v1/fill/w_1280,h_633,q_75,strp/the_magpies_apartment_by_bradwright_d2raei1-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9NjMzIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvMTM1MDVmNGEtM2U3MS00MGQzLWJlZWMtZGM5Yjg5ZjQ1OTAzXC9kMnJhZWkxLWJjMmVlM2YwLTMyYzgtNGM1My04YzA4LWQ2MTcwY2UyZGZiMC5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTI4MCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.-JpFSAvef1jtBFWIushxYJukmrGdLfRmjwTfl3o6ebY), but so was her life. It has been her life ever since she stopped going after that pesky, hated Web-Slinger. As she could now only watch him from away, see his heroism with nothing but envy...Why could she not be like him? Why people started to...Love him?  
  
Then, another voice finally joined her.  
  
"Hungry, Eddie. Can we eat something for once?"  
  
The voice resonated in her head. It was deep and almost ethereal, but still neutral. Asexual, though with slight hints of her own voice in there, for the Klyntar had started to project itself as its host. Eddie could feel it slithering underneath her skin. Anxiously demanding for something to feed upon. With a lengthy sigh, Eddie finally moves to stand up and starts to walk to her fridge, hugging her form slightly as she watches herself. In a way, the company of this thing was both a blessing and a curse at times, and Eddie's feelings were still somewhat confusing in that regard. As the tall woman opens the container, only to find it empty this time around. She must have forgotten to buy food.  
  
"...Sorry. I think I forgot..." Edwina's tone softens up a bit in comparison to her previous fit. Not quite scared of the beast's reaction, but actually ashamed for it. Yet before she could speak further, she is interrupted by the voice in her head.  
  
"Grr...But we are hungry! This won't cut it, Eddie! We need to FEED!"  
  
The reaction was almost childish, but nonetheless aggressive and demanding. Edwina could still feel the alien inside of her and it was angry. It never crossed her boundaries in ways that could...Disgust her, he never forced her to do things. But it was not necessary. With demands like this? Eddie could not deny it. She wanted to please it, in fact.  
  
"It's...It's late." She says out loud, watching her phone for a moment as she reaches for it in one of the pockets of her military jeans. Close to 10 PM. However, she knew it was not time to beat around the bush. "But I guess I can find you something? God, I hate when this happens." She tells herself before pressuring her steps to rapidly grab a black T-Shirt from the couch and start to put it on as she prepares to leave. Still hearing the monster inside, ominously speaking.  
  
"Chocolate won't cut it tonight, Eddie. You know that."  
  
Eddie herself only answered with a huff and walks out of her place. She was almost wishing she was the one having to deal with mutant crises, rather than with hungry aliens.  


~~~~~~

[Run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz5Ka4AvjQM).

  
That was the only thing in the mind of the young mutant [boy](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/8/8d/Leech_%28Earth-50302%29.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/150?cb=20130819174011). His green, almost reptile-like appearance was somewhat hidden by the thick layer of clothing that he put all over his body to try and blend in. But it was not enough, the moment he was spotted, someone realized it as he ran away with the bottles of medicines and injections. In a matter of moments, he already had a group of men running behind him and yelling angrily, as he tried to make his way to the nearest entrance to the sewers. That was his terrain, he lived there, he grew there. Here in the streets? He was a stranger, a weak thing in danger. Yet, he could still feel the angry humans just behind his trail, getting closer by the second, even as he made every turn he could through the streets. Managing to even get in the alley where the entrance to his sewer channels was. Only a bit more, and he could help him, he could help everyone...  
  
But he fell.  
  
By some godly miracle, he managed to protect the goods from the fall before they broke. But in the spawn of time that it took him to grab everything and get on his knees, the humans took that time and finally caught him. Yelling from behind him now, and cornering him in the alley.  
  
"God-damn it, another mutie stealing up stuff? These guys sure don't learn, huh?" One of them said with disdain as he held a baseball bat in his hands. These men were not guards or watchmen, they were mere thugs that heard of the commotion and ran as soon as they got the word on some mutant stealing.  
  
"Well, you know what they say. Gotta teach 'em freak some manners." One of them also comments as he cracks his knuckles. Their shadows looming over the boy, who now shakes scared in his spot.  
  
"P-Please! Leech only wants this for Angel. Leech needs to help h-his f--!" His voice was silenced, then, as the sound of a harsh hit replaced it. The whistling of the bat swinging down at him was what silenced the boy's words. Now replaced with whimpers of pain.  
  
But they did not fall on deaf ears.  


"Heard that one, Eddie? It's crying. Someone's hurt."

  
Not far away. The lonely figure of the tall and imposing woman was now making her way through the streets at night. The nearest market was still a few minutes away, but she managed to catch something thanks to the Symbiote's words. They both made a silence, and she could hear the distressed sobbing in the distance, followed by the sound of hits and stomps, and finishing with the laughs of men. The rough, disgusting laughs. There was something in them, something that made her angrier than usual. It made her remember something.

> "Hah. Don't make me laugh. Is that the best you can do? Pfft...Dumb girl..."

  
Too familiar. It was all too familiar for Edwina. Yet, the demands grew further, as the Symbiote knew what this situation meant.  
  
"You said bad people were good to eat? I like bad people, Eddie. They are tasty. Can we eat them?" A horrendous proposition, but one Eddie knew all too well. There was something cathartic in letting this monster feed upon other monsters. Eddie knew, too, that anyone that could so easily pick up on a child probably did not deserve to live anyways. The Symbiote insisted a few more times, despite Edwina's silent behaviour and still motion. She eventually nods in agreement.  
  
"Yeah, do the thing."  
  
"Doing the thing!" Was all the answer she got before she felt it then. Surging literally from the pores of her skin, from underneath her own body as if it was a natural part of her. It was both liberating and empowering. The black, goo-like mass of the alien being pours out in large quantities that solidify around Edwina's already impressive build, making her even bulkier, taller, stronger, as it also gives her more bestial traits. Large, claw-like hands. Similar feet. Yet, the most obvious part was her head, her face, changing into an even more monstrous visage. But it felt good. The feeling of the substance over, the feeling of power, of strength...it made her smile with her new face, showing her array of sharp teeth.  
  
They are [Venom](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/f68d196d-ce47-49bb-ad9f-c95a505e8cbc/dbnwphj-ea3fb34d-a991-40b1-9114-e4d15ba30e3b.png/v1/fill/w_691,h_1156,q_70,strp/she_venom_commission_by_darboe_dbnwphj-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.EXi1vnNakP_gH9sprWaCV8swjigdNHSlWcp5X2hMeeQ).  
  
Losing no further time, then, she set herself to follow the sound of whimpers and screams. It was easy for her. A simple jump was enough to propel her to a nearby rooftop after breaking the ground beneath her and then landing above the building. Her senses were heightened as much as her own physical prowess, and like a predator stalking her prey, she follows. Leaping from wall to wall, to building. Crawling about with the powers burrowed from her greatest foe. All until she finally found herself looming over the alley from the edge of the wall. Staring down to the scene, as the gangbangers continue to beat up the mutant kid, who is now trying his best to protect the medicine.  
  
It would be untrue to say Edwina had second thoughts when she saw that. It was a kid, no matter how weird, it was a kid. And seeing it hurt...Stirred something.  
  
Jumping down into the street without hesitation or even finesse. Just like that, her weight crashed down on her own two feet. Breaking the concrete as she lands there with all of her might and now looks over to the group of thugs, who now found themselves trapped. They stopped their assault on the mutant child only when they noticed this, and the whole group of no more than four turn their heads in disbelief and surprise, unsure of how to react at first. As the monstrous woman bares her fangs at them. Yet, her words are not directed at them, but at the boy.  
  
"Don't look."  
  
Leech sees an opportunity then and starts to collect himself and run away as he hears the deafening roar of the Symbiote. Like a lion enraged, she throws herself at the men and they are not so much as a challenge. Crawling away and doing as he was told. He hides the goods on his large trench-coat and pulls himself to a nearby wall at the end of the alley. Putting up his hood as he closes his eyes and simply waits. He hears but does not see: Men yelling, a short fight, and then...  
  
Crack. Crack. Grash. Glurp. It was a fleshy and rough sound. One he never heard before. He did not see, and he did not want to. He only wanted the bad men to go away. That chain of sounds continued a few more times. Until...Everything was silent. And he just sat there waiting, not knowing what to do.  
  
"You can...Look."  
  
The otherworldly, yet clearly female voice confirms once more. And the mutant boy complies. Turning to now see the towering woman, clad in black, now standing over the alley alone. Some stains of blood remained on the place, but no traces of the men that attacked him. And he now did not see her with that monstrous face, but with a human one. As Edwina's rough yet womanly face contrasted with the rest of her form. The two stared for a few minutes, before the awkward silence, is broken by Edwina, who finally takes a step forward and kneels to him.  
  
"Sorry for...That...Are you all right?" She asks in a tone as soft as she can muster. It was weird, she rarely did this to the people she saved. But staring into the teary, blank eyes of the mutant made her compassion flare.  
  
The boy only answers with a hug to her. Her form did not scare him, much to her surprise. And she just stands there idly, before returning the hug. Holding the smaller boy in her arms.  
  
"What are you doing, Eddie? You don't usually do this." The Symbiote asks once more in her head. Soundly confused. As Eddie now carries the child on her arms and sends small, black tendrils from her shoulders to help him carry the goods that he took. She heard a few of his pleas before, and they were valid, at least to her.  
  
"M-My name is...L-Leech..." The kid breaks the silence then. Still holding himself on the woman and looking up to her now. "I...I need to go home."  
  
"We'll help you go home, Leech." Eddie answers with a nod to him, staring down at the boy with an even softer face. Her worry for the boy had grown into outright care as she slowly puts him down. After all, if these ones were after him, who knows what else could?  
  
"You are kidding, right? But we already ate! I want to lay down..." The Klyntar grumpily remarks. Not particularly enthusiastic about its host's sudden mother-instinct in action. Yet, Eddie could not help it. The scarred, beaten up semblance of the boy made her shudder and worry in equal parts, as she saw him walk away towards the sewer disc and slide it away, motioning her to follow down. Smiling, even with a bit of blood going down on his forehead. It appears his mutation made him sturdy.  
  
Yet, Eddie still could see herself in a mirror there. But she would be crying instead.  
  
"This sucks. We are going into a sewer?"  
  
"Shut up. I already fed you up. You owe me." Now Eddie outright answers, as she sees Leech go down into the underground water channels. Looking down, she huffs and then prepares to do the same. Her Symbiote begrudgingly accepts, as there was no rebutting that logic.  
  
She just jumps down, then.

* * *

** _"SPIDER-MAN!"_ **  


Her roar pierced through the noise of their surroundings. Like the angry screech of some unknowable beast, two voices yelling in unison, one bestial and the other humanoid. She felt like a monster. [She liked feeling like one.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agCiXI8kZjE)

Edwina lost the track of how many times the two of them have been at this routine already. Maybe a few dozens, or so, maybe more or maybe less. It wasn't relevant anymore. She caught him by surprise this time, sitting in some lonely rooftops in a lower neighbor of Queens. She recognized the place, for the Symbiote had shared many of Parker's memories. He was probably going home or visiting some of his friends, or some other manner that she honestly did not care about. She found him, and she attacked him. As simple as that. Why would she not do that? After all, he ruined their lives. He was probably about to ruin someone else's. It must be about that latest column about Otto Octavius that he wrote in the Bugle, yes, he was going to ruin someone else's life.  
  
Holding the thinner, more lean man into her powerful grasp, she slams him down to the edges of the building, breaking bricks through with his body. She knew he could take them, but that didn't stop her from making it brutal. His snarky remarks almost went deaf to the senses of the enraged beast in black, who kept pummeling him down and then threw him away to several other buildings. The sound of cracking walls resonates in the whole city block. But it did not take long for Venom to leap and follow him. Running above the rooftops and jumping from one to the next. No finesse, unlike her rival, she was brutal, making her way when she had stairs or doors or similar structures to pass by. With a vicious focus on him.  
  
It was a rare opportunity. All her frustrations, all her rage, everything bad in her...No, in their lives. He was the easy instrument to vent them. The sole responsible. The Symbiote told her of rejection, of distrust and anger. If this man could reject a gift like this, a being like this, how could he be good?  
  
"Jeez, Brock! I just got out of a mess with a guy with metal tentacles and you come by to ruin my lunch? Don't you have something better to do?!"  
  
She took him by surprise at first, but not anymore. When she prepared to lunge down at him and bite with her large and dangerous maw onto his flesh, he managed to push her back with a kick and even reach forward to grab her tongue, pulling her down by it to keep kicking down her belly. That is until she also reaches forward and now holds his throat in her claws, squeezing harshly to choke him, but still, he does not relent. [Locked into their fight](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/7e/3b/2e/7e3b2e5f1ff52cc17d25497c27bbcfe7.jpg) they are. And it was like many times before, as several of the terrorized neighbors watch in awe and take photos of the event. Their rivalry was a subject of controversy to a population who was not sure if they were mutants fighting over some petty manner and trashing their neighbors for it. Some even dared to cheer for one or the other. Some yelled to support the Web-slinger, while others even dared to cheer the black beast.- After all, if Jonah Jameson was right, that Spider-thing was as much as a menace.  
  
But the truth of the matter was that Edwina did not care either way. She wanted revenge, she wanted justice, she wanted to rage. To drown herself in all the anger she had been saving through all of her life. And at this moment, with this man, she felt she could.  
  


> _"SAY IT!"  
"I'm...Guilty...."_

The thunderous sound of their punches now amazes and scares the citizens in equal parts. Spider-Man finally managed to pull free from the grasp of his nemesis through a trusty haymaker to her monstrous face, and he did not stop there. Rapidly jumping back into his feet only to answer back with an upper-cut straight to the jaw of his attacker. Usually, the hero was more than cautious with his punches. -His enemies were fragile, human.- But he could not afford that with Brock. Each hit of his knuckles would be enough to kill a normal person several times over, and yet, to the hero, they still felt like punches against a concrete wall.  
  
And so, he follows with another, and then another. Pushing back against the monster. Triumphant as he always is. It enraged Edwina, and in turn, feed her Symbiote. The cycle of hatred as one could call it.  
  
She responds once more too, with equal intensity. A punch swinging down to his face this time which made the hero turn away his face at the brutal strike. They were even, as Peter felt more than vividly that the hit would have broken a few walls should she had to throw it there instead, and fueled by the rage, she continues with her offensive. Swinging her fists to his body. First, his gut to destabilize him, then she goes straight for his face again. Pounding his form like some rabid animal.  
  
Why was she so angry?  
  


> _"Say. It."_  
"I'm...G-Guilty..."  
"Dumb girl..."

No matter how hard she tried, no matter how many punches she threw at the man, he never relented, he never gave in. He eventually managed to dodge one of her strikes going back at his face. Her rage made her strong, but predictable, and the more nimble and agile Spider hero now started to practically dance around her as he smirks under his mask. She knew him well. "Ugh. Not your best day, eh Brock?" His words were taunting, looking to fuel her anger and he did so easily. Roaring more, Venom continues her head-on, stubborn attacks now trying to slam him with black tentacles emerging from her back which break down the floor beneath him. To no avail, as he still saw her coming.  
  
Closing the division of space, he punches against her face once more. But now he kept going, grabbing her strong arms in place as he moves his head onward and headbutts her harshly, stunning the Symbiote if for a single second, before he uses the ace on his sleeve, literally.  
  
"AAARGHHH!!!!" Venom screeches, in pain this time. As some high-frequency vibration started to curse through her body until she was released, only to then start to hear the siren-like sound that Spider-Man's wrists emit. Some kind of new technology, for this, has never happened before. But it easily plays onto one of her two greatest weaknesses. Yelling in anguish even more as she falls down to her knees and holds her head, while the Symbiote alien starts to peel down from her body. Her face is revealed after several seconds that were like hours in pain, at which point the hero finally finishes. Not wanting to cause her further pain.  
  
"Cool stuff, huh? The Shocker didn't mind me reverse-engineering his sonic gauntlets. Not the right frequency to hurt you, but a few tweaks...I don't know you, but I think it was pretty smart." The cocky tone with which he spoke only added to her humiliation. However, the smug aura that Parker uses to carry around starts to fall down once he realizes something, as he stares into Edwina's bare face now. He was confused at first but his expression soon grows into worry.  
  


> "Say. It."  
"I'm...I'm-...I-I'm...I-Innocent..."  
"Good girl."

"I'm...Guilty..."  


"Hey, Eddie...Are you all right?" Breaking through his usual, snarky persona. Spider-Man's toned reflected genuine worry for the villainess in front of him. Edwina was barely holding herself from crying, despite her teary eyes, as she blankly stares down into the ground and repeats those words. The anger no longer fueling her. She finds herself almost completely devoid of will at that moment, just repeating almost in desperation.  
  
"I'm...G-Guilty..."  
  


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Hello? Miss? Are you there? Leech is worried..."  
  
[Edwina ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfbdxS9o4j0)finally shakes her head, returning to her senses once she is called out by the meek yet rough voice of the mutant child. Still wearing the alien black suit from toe to neck, though, keeping her face visible as the jaw of her Venom form remains open, as if it was some kind of hood. She was practically towering over the boy, but as they kept traversing deeper into the sewers, she seems to have drifted away into a thoughtful state.  
  
"We are fine, Leech." Edwina's voice is a sharp contrast to Venom's, as Leech heard before. While the amalgam monstrosity echoes through a pair of similar yet different tones, sounding otherworldly, almost coming out of some deep darkness. Eddie is simple, mundane, yet there was a sense of kindness there, as she stares down to the eager child with a slight smile of her own. Almost motherly in nature. "How long 'till we get to your home? We can carry you if-..."  
  
"We are there already! Leech is happy that you came! Look, look!"  
  
The reptile-like kid takes the lead and rapidly walks forward much to Edwina's surprise. Indeed, she was so self-centered that she barely realized that they just passed a massive, circular entrance that looked similar to a reinforced door. This place was barely like a sewer, she pondered to herself, and such was true. The place was ample yet fortified to endure a bombardment. This was not a sewer or a train station, but a bunker. A bunker connected to the sewer system. Fitting so, then, that it served as a refuge for those that were the trash of humankind. And before the vigilante has time to realize it, she is already surrounded by the surreal image of many, many strange mutants, staring into them.  
  
[Freaks, like them.](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/3/3a/Morlocks_%28Earth-616%29_from_Uncanny_X-Men_Vol_4_7_001.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20160505002530)  
  
"I hate this place already, Eddie. These people don't look tasty, and they look bad at us." The genderless voice of the Symbiote now resonates in her head only, as her eyes wander through the place while still being lead by the young child through the hideout. These mutants stared at her with distrust, not because of how she looked. -If anything, she was one of the most 'normal' freaks of the bunch.- But because she was a stranger, and only Leech's presence appears to pacify their innate hostility towards her. She was not welcomed, and while her suit squirms and almost wants to growl back like a cornered animal, she does her best to keep it at bay and simply do as told. Making her way through groups of people, make-shift houses made from whatever furniture and other utilities these mutants managed to loot from the garbage from above. She could barely believe a place like this existed.  
  
But this was not a journey of awe. Not yet at least. For she now realized where he was taking her. Some kind of make-shift nursery. But before they could get there...  
  
"LEECH!" Someone yells among the crowd, a woman. Her voice torn as if from the constant yelling, a stern, commanding tone that makes the groups around the pair open up in a direct line that allows her to walk towards them. The people around even avoid her face, as they realize her emotional state. The woman wore a worn-out, punk-like attire that was more fitting to some old anarchist band than today's world. Her figure was somewhat slender, yet very toned by a life that appears to have been rather rough on her. Her face sporting an eye patch on her right eye, and yet, with her only visible one she stares down at the mutant boy with worry until she leans down and hugs him.  
  
"Mother!" Leech says in response and leans forward to hug her back, in a rather heartwarming scene that Edwina watches from a slight distance. She could hear from the nearby whispers and catch a name. [Callisto](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7c/Callistox.jpg). The brief exchange between her and the boy is something that Edwina does not manage to hear entirely, however, not before her attention turns to the latest menace. The woman herself.  
  
"Who the HELL are you supposed to be?!" Callisto yells out with not even a pretension of politeness. Reaching to her left boot and grabbing a knife as she gives Edwina and Venom a killer glare as she steps forward to her. The entire group of mutants prepare, too, leaning forward and tensing as they watch the scene unfold. Venom, by sheer instinct, also squirms once again and hardens around Eddie, prepared to fully suit her up should the moment arise. But Edwina tries a different approach this time. Simply lifting her hands to try and calm her down, though, the large claws cause the opposite effect in fact.  
  
"Wait a moment! We do not want to harm you!" Edwina promptly declares, staring into the raging eyes of the mutant woman. "We only wanted to help Leech!"  
  
"Yes! Leech says she is on the right! She is a heroine, saved me from bad humans!" Leech supports her statement effusively. Holding his mother's leg to try and catch her attention. He does so momentarily, with Callisto softening her hardened face for the child before giving a still distrustful gaze to Edwina. But not with the same level of aggression.  
  
"A heroine? What's your name?" She asks, skeptical.  
  
"..." Edwina pauses, then. Staring into the eyes of the mutant woman who does not back down from it. Then, she gives her a smile that is almost mischievous before she speaks, yet, her voice is also accompanied by another one this time. One coming from her throat too, but not her own. The two declaring in unison to the whole colony that watches them in expectation.  
  


"We...Are Venom."  


The mutants stare for a long while, almost a minute or so, to the woman. Before Callisto's gesture softens even more...But only because it grows from distrust to confusion.  
  
"Who?"


	2. Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edwina continues to meet more of her newfound allies, and is finally given her first objective in her 'new life' as a heroine.

[Leech stares for a few moments, still a bit nervous.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go1QQTxoC_s&list=PLURBlBqSzVmH8ZxBwnIiQgTDi7hbcA89k&index=7)

His mother had at least lowered down her knife in front of the monstrous black beast that he called his new protector. In a way, even at his young age, he could understand the wariness and suspicion of his mother. She was always strong, always putting a face, always bossing every of the Morlocks. She had to. She had to be strong because she was his mother, and she was the boss. That's the simple way the young mutant see it, the only way he could see the world here. Even at his young age, he could understand even a bit of the burden his mother carried.

Withdrawing her knife finally, Callisto just gives a stern glare to the fused form of Symbiote and woman. She was not scared, again, but simply examining her form before finally speaking up, breaking the tense silence that had become prevalent during this time. "So, Venom then? What exactly are you? You are terrifying." A grimace appears on her face, even the jagged mutant woman, despite not being scared, knew very well what kind of being she was in front of. Crossing her arms now, she looks around and makes a few gestures to the nearby mutants to continue in their way. The underground community finally starting to drift and scatter away as they go back to their usual business, with Callisto and Leech only standing in front of Venom now.

"Not a mutant."The first answer was obvious, indeed. As the mouth of her suit opens up again and shows Edwina's face underneath. Who stares down at Callisto's smaller body after taking a few steps forward. "I...Well, it's complicated? I have kind of a parasite."

"Can you **STOP calling me parasite in front of everyone?!" **The voice of the Klyntar roars in anger. But it comes not from its mouth, but from the texture of the suit itself much to the surprise of the mutant pair. The second skin wriggles a bit over before it finally calms down after Eddie pats herself on the shoulder. "All right, all right! Sorry? What would you prefer?"

"Do you even know what a Symbiote is? How about that!" Despite her bestial, alien appearance. The constant bickering between the two personalities sharing a body seems to calm down the mutants slightly. It's silly, yet, it also helps to lower the tension of their monstrous looks, even if neither of them realizes such. Eventually, Callisto coughs to try and catch her attention again.

"Well...Thanks, 'Venom' for what you did. Normally I don't let non-mutants get in here, but..." Pausing, Callisto looks down at her child, who still seems to happily gaze over to the form of Venom. She then answers, no in less part influenced by the simple stare of awe in his eyes, a stare she rarely saw in his blank orbs. "I guess we owe you at least a bit of hospitality for what you did. Do you still have the medicines?"

"Ah? Yes." The small black tendrils come out of her form, again, offering the bottles and other goods to Callisto, who just dispatches them to a nearby mutant to share it with the rest.

"Come with us." Callisto finally offers, and motions to her child and Eddie to follow her lead then. Leech could notice that, despite the reserves his mother may have had with other strangers, she seems to have noticed something different in Edwina. Or at least, he guesses so. But how could she not? There was something special in her, he knew it too. She saved him, who would have saved him, if not for a hero? Who could make bad people like that go away, if not a hero? Leech assures himself, his mother must be thinking the same.

And so the small group of rag tags follows Callisto as she shows Eddie around the place. The hideout of the Morlocks Village was indeed not just any sewer channel or metro-station. It was some kind of abandoned bunker that someone had created underneath the streets. With two levels and an ample space that hosts the entirety of this group of strange mutants. Callisto explains to them that she did not build it, but rather found it years ago in an abandoned state and used it to start to bring people there and that was connected to many train stations and sewer channels. Much to Edwina's surprise, the place was not just any shit-hole either. Somehow, it had electricity, computers installed in several parts and even a mechanical garage for, what they could guess, was some kind of vehicle. But it was hard to decipher what else was ever there. For the mutant influence has taken over all of the signs of its previous owners. Even Callisto herself does not know who they were, and neither does she remember much of how it looked before.

The mutants here were an odd bunch, too. And this was something that Eddie needed not to be explained about. Her father never liked them, and this was practically the kind of freak show that would give him a stroke.- Men, women and children ranging from simple but obvious mutations like bat ears or forked tongue. To some that were more egregious like insect wings. To the kind, Leech himself had a complete deviation of the human form. She saw many like him, too, mutants that just didn't look human. Either acquiring animal traits like a snake or bear-like appearance or just growing into beings to tall, too dangerous.

Outcasts, one could call them.

Callisto, Leech and Venom eventually reach down to an area of the bunker where several trees grow with yellow fruits that look somewhat like apples, but not exactly. Many of the mutants go there and grab them, and it is indeed a miracle that they seem to survive in just some makeshift garden with some dirt. Though, while Edwina seems most surprised about it, Callisto and Leech give it little more than a glare except for the mutant woman to grab one of its fruits and toss it to Eddie's way, before they move to sit in a nearby bench.

"You are a superhero, then? Like the Avengers?" The question is direct and straight. Callisto not looking at Eddie but at her son, as she watches over his wounds but they start to regenerate slowly. Huffing, Leech shakes a bit, knowing he will get a really stern talk later own.

However, the question makes Eddie stops for a moment about it and asks herself the same thing. Was she a heroine? The most heroic thing she ever did was to eat criminals and beat Spider-Man. That's all. Certainly, she was not like those people, like The Avengers or anyone like that. Even if she wanted to say it, she could not force herself to such a thing. Huffing a bit and then shaking her head. "I think it's more like...A vigilante?" She proposes, and that may be giving herself too much credit.

"Leech is sure Venom is a hero! You saved Leech, yes? Venom is a hero, like Jet Jaguar!" The mutant boy interjects, unable to hold himself back despite the apparent doubts in the woman and her suit. Eddie herself just blinks at that in surprise. Callisto scolds him a bit for interrupting them.

"Honestly, I was more of a hero when I was a reporter or that much I want to believe." Edwina smiles a bit, remembering her days as a reporter and journalist. They were at different times. A striking, plucky woman looking for the truth of big corporations and shady dealings. The kind of thing that really brought her to pursue that career. Those days felt really distant, almost like another life by this point. Yet, she still seems happy to remember them. "I even wrote a report about mutant discrimination? My editor hated me. But I managed to get my own TV Show and continued that story. Got lots of death-threats, you can't imagine." A heartily laugh escapes her, amused at the thought of it.

Callisto blinks, then, recalling that too. "Wait, you were? Oh- Oh! You are Edwina Brock, right? I saw that article too. You were one of the few people that actually did that. Talk about the homeless and poor. They don't do that anymore, huh? These days I only hear about people fearing some mutant take-over and some Jameson guy bickering about Spider-Man...Oh, and serial killers, huh? News these days..."

Edwina's good mood vanishes for a moment at the mention of serial killers. Still more than sour about that one. Her mind drifts away for a moment about her last report. The Red Slayer...How could she get it wrong? How could she fail to get that Kasady guy? Spider-Man. That was always her answer. Spider-Man's fault.

"Yeah, so, Vigilante? It doesn't matter. it's the same cra-...Stuff." Callisto pauses, staring at Leech from the corner of her eye, who just tilts his head a bit confused. "The way I see it? Normal heroes don't do this kind of thing. The Avengers and whatever? They are out there, saving the world, sure. But who looks down for these people here? No one. Well, not many at least." With a shrug, the jagged mutant sighs. "There is this Spider-Guy...Looks a lot like you, actually."

"Hahahaha! For real?!"

This time Venom spoke directly into Eddie's head. And the host herself can't help but give a lengthy huff at the name, almost growling at its sheer mention. Her anger pretty boiled up, as she instead responds. "Yeah, I know him too. You know? He tends to ruin more lives than he saves."

"I guess. But he tries." Callisto's simple respond takes Eddie by surprise. Yet, she continues nonetheless. Her single eye staring into Eddie with an almost [tired ](https://youtu.be/oZjTGFeBXAY)"Anyway, what I am trying to say is...That you did a lot of good back there. Helping Leech. Not everyone would have done that. He is a mutant, and he doesn't look human.- Those things are enough to set him apart, to set everyone here apart. These people around? They are all freaks, forgotten, poor. Some came here because their families abandoned them, or because their mutations make them obvious targets and they can't protect themselves. I try to protect them, but...It's just...Not always enough."

Callisto sighs. Leech just stares at his mother again with a sad expression. He knows very well how stressed it can be for his mother, she always looks like this when she is not bossy. It worries the child, like any kid, would get worried when they see their mother preoccupied. Eddie watches then, without saying anything just yet, not even knowing what to say or do but grimacing a bit, and patting the woman's back gently.

"...They are really are losers, like you, Eddie."

Despite how mocking it may sound, the Symbiote was not entirely wrong.

"You don't need to hear about this." Callisto breaks the silence once more. Moving away Eddie's arm and just giving her a stern gaze. "I just wanted to let you know that it's more important than you think, 'Venom.' If you are a heroine, or vigilante, or whatever? We could use someone like you again."

Callisto offers the bewildered Edwina one of those yellow fruits again.

"They are made by Bark, one of our residents here. He can make these trees grow and make them grow these things. The taste depends on the mood, though. It's a bit sour now."

Edwina stares down to it before she lets one black tentacle extend from her shoulder and wrap around it. She gives it a few bites and, indeed, the taste is a bit sour, even if the Symbiote can still nourish from it.

"I just wanted to help him. No kid should get treated like that, no matter how they look." Edwina's explanation felt honest, as she stares to the smiling Leech in front of her. "I am not sure if I can be of much help to you people. But if I can? I would like to." With a smile of her own, Eddie nods. It was an opportunity unlike any before. She has been growing stale into her apartment, doing nothing but being a loser. But these people? They didn't treat her like one. The child was even enraptured with her. They saw her as something else, and that pushed her into the idea more.

"Oh, we are really doing this? Well. At least we'll get a lot to eat. Maybe we can beat up people like before?" The Klyntar says in her head once more. At least it had fewer worries than Edwina.

"Good." Callisto says and follows with a stern nod. Even a bit relieved at her positive. The woman was in no little need of less weight on her shoulders right now. "See, you know this guy, the Kingpin?"

"Who the hell doesn't know the Kingpin? Every reporter in the city wants the dirt on him. But he has more lawyers than a firm and nobody has been able to. Even I couldn't." The woman in the black suit answers back, crossing her arms as she continues to eat the apple held by a tendril.

"Right, well? I got some people telling me that he may be behind a few things. There has been buyouts in houses around the docks where the families mysteriously disappeared after rejecting the Kingpin's offers. Not only that, but there have also been a lot of smuggling of people around that area too, even here in the sewers? Women, children...Some of my own, too. Mutants mostly, because they are less likely to be missed. The Kingpin has some kind of business there in the docks, a fabric, or something like that. And if what I heard is true? He is behind these things. I am not sure exactly what he is doing. If just human-mutant trafficking or...Something else. But I haven't been able to stop him myself. I tried to tell the Web-guy. He says he's on the case, but...You know, I think he can't save everyone. He has many things on his mind."

Callisto pauses again. Leech had not been paying too much attention to this conversation in particular, as he is now just watching around idly before he greets someone approaching around the crowd. She just wanted to check on him, make sure he didn't hear much.

"If you can go there, and see what's up? I would really be thankful. I am worried that more of my own get there, more mutants too...My other guy, Pietro, told me he also has his hands full...It's just...Hard." The boss of this make-shift gang once more sighs, feeling the weight of the situation still heavy on her shoulders.

Edwina looks down for a moment, considering what she was just requested. It was a work different than anything else before. Something that probably wouldn't even get her any pay. But nonetheless, these people were downtrodden, innocents and...Freaks. The kind of people that only someone like her, who wasn't so different, would understand. They crawl in a less than savory place, they look bestial, and they need help. It would be hard for her to not empathize with their plight. "Fine." She nods then, giving Callisto a serious look in her eyes. "We will watch that over. See what we can do. We promise you."

Callisto finally gives her a snarky grin, hearing what she wanted to hear. "Good. I knew a badass girl like you couldn't resist cracking a few skulls. If you find they are the ones behind it? Don't be ashamed of doing just that." With that, Callisto finally moves to stand up. Preparing to leave, before...

Fwoosh!

"AARGH! I HATE THAT! I'LL EAT WHO DID THAT!" A sudden light briefly catches the eyes of both Callisto and Eddie. At first, the vigilante suits up rapidly and prepares as if something was about to attack them. But her sense of alarm lowers once she hears Callisto yelling out with an angered, bothered tone. "What the hell was that? Who di-...Oh?"

Her anger is suddenly quelled as she realized the source. A young girl that was now standing beside Leech. She was wearing some common streetwear that wasn't the best quality but compared to the ragged and torn clothes of most mutants here, it was probably among the best quality. Her factions showed she was of Asian descent, but the most noticeable characteristic was probably her yellow hoodie, looking almost like a coat. The girl just stands there, surprised and almost scared of their reaction as she just has her hands opened, with small lights coming out of it. Leech tries to reassure her, for he knew of the shy behavior that the girl had developed over the years.

"[Blackout](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/614ed6ed-59c5-43c6-9baa-593ebdda0a6f/d39oyhu-8db99059-1fd9-413d-94f1-f367a8f3ceff.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzYxNGVkNmVkLTU5YzUtNDNjNi05YmFhLTU5M2ViZGRhMGE2ZlwvZDM5b3lodS04ZGI5OTA1OS0xZmQ5LTQxM2QtOTRmMS1mMzY3YThmM2NlZmYuanBnIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.TUHCEZ0R-n0XlUfx7_qE1Jv_J-Fo5bROVXtnO2z5JFs)?" Callisto asks, confused. Leech rapidly explains to his mother that she was just trying to show her powers to him again. And Edwina relaxes and forces the Symbiote to back down, now that she realizes it was only a girl. One that looked almost scared at that.

"S-Sorry...I just...Ah...I heard Leech bought a new girl. He said she was...Cool." The little girl says and sighs, looking down for a moment almost to avoid their gazes in fear of judgement. Callisto instead just pats the girl's head gently, reassuring her with a softer tone. "It's fine, dear. Just...Well, you should be in bed already. Both of you. And if you want to try your powers? You should be careful about them."

Blackout nods once more. Still somewhat ashamed of herself as she sighs and looks down still, before finally staring upon Edwina's black, tall form. Giving her a quiet smile. "Hey...I'm Blackout...You look...Strong? Thanks for saving Leech. I-I...I wish I could have been of use. I'm just a weak little nobody who makes lights." The girl's tone was low, almost not wanting to be heard. Leech frowns and approaches her. She has always been like that, as far as he can remember. Callisto found her and brought her from the streets. But as far as the boy can recall, she has always been this fearful, poor little girl. He can't even guess what she had happening before. What could have made her so fearful of even her own kind?

Edwina's compassion flares up again. There was something about that girl, about the way she fearfully stares at people, that she seems afraid of their retribution. She stares down at her, her face grimacing still, almost pained to see that attitude. It reminded her of...

> _"You are crying again...? Come on...Why did this have to happen to me..."_

Kneeling down much to Leech and Callisto's surprise, Eddie reaches to gently lay a hand on Blackout's shoulder. Who just stares into her human eyes in surprise at the gesture. "Hey. It's fine? I was pretty much a weak little nobody too. Hell, I am probably still a nobody, just not little." With a smirk, she pats the head of the mutant girl once more, trying to reassure her further. "Don't treat yourself like that. Maybe there is more to you than that. Not everything in the world is resolved by hitting things."

"It's usually resolved by eating them." At least Venom had the decency to say that in Eddie's mind, not out loud. Almost like a tip.

Blackout just stares at her after that. Watching Eddie's smile, it made her blush. The compliment was honest, and while she did not know how to react at first, she eventually just nods a few times and smiles back. "Thank you." Before she steps back once more and looks up at Callisto, who nods at her as well. "Time to go to sleep. Leech, you should go to the infirmary."

Blackout nods rapidly and takes the chance to practically run away. However, unknown to them, she had now other plans in mind. Meanwhile, Leech mumbles a bit, nodding, yet he seems not entirely convinced. After all? He still wanted to know more about this new hero, the first one he got to know. A bulb lights over his head and says. "Oh, but...The medicines for Angel! Leech wants to see how he is! Leech can take Venom with him? Please?"

Callisto's eyes move to Edwina now, who shrugs at the proposition. Kids, they both knew.

"If she's okay with that. Sure. You can stay here as long as you want, Edwina, at least for tonight." Callisto confirms and Leech almost bounces on his joy. Eddie simply stares happily at him, and the group finally parts ways. With Callisto watching them leave as Eddie and Venom were led to a nearby building. It looked like some kind of large personal quarters, re-purposed as a medical infirmary with a large red cross marking it as such. Its entrance was large, with a first floor that appears to have been designated for something else but that was now some kind of storehouse where they kept the medical goods and hand them out. Some of the mutants there stared curiously at the pair, but Edwina did not have much time to even stare at them, as Leech was rather enthusiastic about getting her to know Angel. He was his best friend, after all, and now she was his heroine! He wanted to show her off as if she was the coolest thing he has seen.

Edwina couldn't help but smile a bit brighter at that. Even Venom, as primitive as its behavior was, also felt complimented. They were used to being treated like losers, not like heroes.

> She laid down on the couch. [Crying](https://youtu.be/DEdB98MfWpg).
> 
> Her father dropped her there and went upstairs. But she could not go upstairs. She just could not go to her room.
> 
> She cried her throat out, screeching as she muffled herself with a pillow. The scene continues in her mind, like a slide show.
> 
> [Blood. Metal. Screaming. The weight of it wrapped around her.](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kUvHMpnt250/XD7sWoZt-1I/AAAAAAAAD1I/HF0yhI31gF8Y_SDUTDEY3g28MAguadC1QCHMYCw/s1600/RCO008.jpg)

"Eddie?" Leech asks her, as he suddenly noticed she was no longer following her. In fact, he was already inside the room with the door opened, but Edwina did not enter with her.

"Eddie. Snap out of it." The Symbiote's call was more forceful, bringing her back into her senses rapidly as she shakes her head. Once more, her mind had drifted away without her even realizing it. She could sense the disgust of her Symbiote at the situation, the uneasiness that she translated to it. And she also saw the slightly worried look in the young mutant's eyes as he stared at her. Another voice inside of the room also asked for her, people got worried.

Edwina just waves it off and takes a few steps forward, entering the room as she leans in to fit into the smaller door. Again, it was clear that these sewers were once the home of someone else. For these quarters were several, and evidently made for someone to sleep in, like an actual home. In this case, it was spacious and even had a bed and all. But whatever traces of its original owner were lost as well. But as the anti-heroine gets in, she gets greeted by both the mutant boy who grabs her arm and shows her to his friend.

"So, you are Eddie? Pft. Leech hasn't been stopped talking about you. To be honest, I thought he made up an imaginary friend at first. But well, you really ain't imaginary." The young man comments as Eddie now shifts her attention to him and Leech smiles and nods. This guy, [Angel](https://66.media.tumblr.com/b8aa06f0ef9f16acef1c0e1ca9b51db1/tumblr_nwt6wsV23l1u0xodqo2_250.png), was also a bit of a stranger compared to the rest. Among his early to mid-twenties, he looked young nonetheless, of evident Latino ascendancy and wearing a yellow hoodie with a black jacket over it, as well as jeans and boots. He looked so...Normal, just normal. There was nothing strange to him, in fact? If she saw him in the streets, she would think nothing of him being a mutant.

"Eddie and Venom helped Leech bring you medicine! Why are you here instead of getting medicine?" Leech asks confused, tilting his head a bit.

"Leech. I have, like, super-healing? I don't need medicine? I meant cigarettes!" Angel looks down at him for a moment and furrows his brows a bit bewildered. "I mean, thank you for what you did, really. But try to not do that again? You know Callisto hates when you go alone. Jesus, I hope she doesn't blame me." The man now blinks a bit and chuckles almost nervously. Leech knew well that everyone amongst the Morlocks were in effective fear of his mother. He can't really guess why, as she was never that bad with him. Angel was his friend, after all. Even if he was a lot older, he was very friendly with everyone around, despite being a bit of a brat in his behavior still. Leech liked him. Except when he started smoking.

"But you got shot and beaten! By bad people." Leech exclaims. Angel just shrugs it off and then smirks in a cocky manner. "Told you. I'm all right. Now better that you brought the sexy lady. You said it's an alien suit? Eh. Not much of-..." His talk was probably going to get vulgar, yet, he suddenly stops as he realizes a small, black tentacle extending from Edwina's black suit as she now realizes something, reaching for it, she pushes away the jacket on his neck and now takes to look upon something on his neck. A rosary.

"Freaky." Angel murmurs, looking down at his necklace then. "Oh, you mind that?" He seems to be almost worried for a moment before she shakes her head.

"No. We were curious. You pray? What kind of Christian are you?" Eddie asks with a more serious tone. Leech seems to not know a lot more about what they are talking about, actually lost. Her mother never really prayed, neither talked about some God. Not like Angel did at least.

"Uh, yeah. My family was...Hmm...Yeah, they were Catholics." With a grimace, the man nods to the question. But he seems to not want to talk much about it, just looking away for a moment. Leech tilts his head again. Angel never talked about his family, he recalls.

"So were us-Mine.-" Edwina answers in response, correcting herself. "We don't pray that much anymore. But...We...-I was curious." With a slight nod, she retreats the tentacle then back to her form. With the black suit once more wriggling over her form before she sighs and looks down at Leech. "Can we sleep somewhere? We are tired."

"There are a few other rooms. Most people don't use them because they are off-limits. We just sneak off." Angel answers with his grin returning, as he points to the wall behind him with his thumb as if indicating the room is besides this. "I mean unless you want to sleep here? Not that I would blame you. I'm..."

"Angel!" Leech slaps his knee and the man blinks and frowns. "Hey! I am just offering. Besides, you sure are grounded tonight. So I don't think Callisto will let you sleep here. Gotta need a new roommate." He chuckles again. Edwina watches them, somewhat amused by their dynamic. It felt once more strange, to be in the presence of this many people. These days, only Venom was her company-- Andrew no longer returned her calls, and the rest of her friends did not want to know about her either. She was lonely, and it felt...Nice, to be among a group for a change. Venom noticed that too.

"Hmph...Angel is right...Oh, Eddie, Venom? You will still be here when I wake up, right? Please don't leave before!" The mutant boy almost begs her, holding her leg in a tight hug as he looks up to her with his white eyes. Angel laughs at this once more, finding amusement in his reaction. Yet, Edwina herself finds it endearing and kneels down to plant a kiss on the forehead of the boy and shake her head. "Of course we won't leave." Her grin grows into a kind smile now.

Leech smiles back as well, simply and innocently, as he steps back and nods as well. Edwina now moves to stand up and waves her hand at the pair, before she starts to walk out of the room. Now finally letting the maw of her Symbiote's face close and hide her face underneath. Walking away with her monstrous visage intact as the two mutants see her part.

"Hell, that's really hot." Angel mentions as he gets his box of cigarettes now, to which Leech turns back to him and frowns. "Don't say that! She's a hero!"

"What? She has rockin' tits. I'm serious." Angel smirks, putting the tail of the smoke on his mouth, yet, he never actually lits it up. Even as Leech just walks out due to the hour. Just showing off.

~~~~~~~

Eddie now lays on the other room she was told about. Like the one before, it once belonged to someone, but there were barely any leftovers of its previous owner aside from a torn and withered bed. A few posters of some old and new martial arts movies and...

Nunchakus? Who even leaves that kind of thing behind?

Regardless. She made it her own already. The Symbiote practically engulfing the whole room in large, black webbing that made it look like some kind of lair. The lair of a spider. She can't help but laugh, with her deep and echoing voice, at the irony of it. Not even realizing how much she seems to have taken from...Him. However, it made her feel comfortable, and besides. The hammock made of black webbing was better than that bed anyways.

As she lays down, the voice of her Symbiote now resonates in her head. It's always there, never leaving her. And it knew her better than she even knew herself at times. A weird relationship indeed.

"You seem happy, Eddie. Despite the stink." Venom comments. But this time as a mere observation, rather than a critique or a mocking remark. It was truly curious about it.

"I guess." She simply answers, almost not giving it too much thought, as she was now close to fading away to sleep. "Are you not?"

"Hmm...Maybe. I am if you are." The answer was almost kind of endearing, considering it came from a man-eating alien.

"Heh, good. Because I think we are going to do this 'hero' thing for a while...I think." She ponders about it for a moment. Looking at her own body, and at her insignia. She never thought what it could mean for others, in fact, she never thought much about what anything meant. But the slight taste of what could be...It made her feel...Good.

And with that warm feeling, she smiles still and lays down to fall asleep.

~~~

"Wake up, Eddie. I'm hungry."

"Oh, come on...Not now..."

"Yes now."

Bothered out of her sleep. Edwina takes a bit and deep sigh as she growls as deeply feral as the suit's form allows her to. Still entangled in the mess of webs that she made in the room as her 'new' room. She slowly starts to sit on the webbing hammock she was sleeping on. Huffing a bit at the place around. She couldn't quite tell the hour, though, a quick view at her phone told her it was late morning. At least she had not slept through the whole day. In fact? She felt good, better than her usual sleep. For once, she rested compared to the almost passing-out motion she had to do in her shady apartment to finally catch some rest. It was good for a change. But now she had to return to normalcy. As interesting as this whole place was? She had to go back home, see it for herself. More importantly, she had to take care of that 'work' Callisto told her. Maybe there would still be time for it tonight? She hoped so, at least. The day was young.

"So we are really doing this? Heroes? I thought you didn't like this, Eddie. What about Spider-Man?" The Symbiote's voice asks in her mind once more. Its tone was one of genuine curiosity now, as it could instinctively feel Edwina's intentions this time. She was serious, and as she starts to stands up and stretches a bit, she answers back at it. "He's...Different. We are different. Look, this has ALWAYS been about the innocent. These people? They are innocents, they need saving. We save the innocents. From Spider-man, or...From someone else." The explanation was a bit awkward, but she could feel the Symbiote sinking in on that knowledge, processing it.

"I see. That's why we kill those people, right? Well...If it makes you happy, Eddie." Venom responded. As simple as that. In a way, it didn't want to raise the ire of its host, not again.

"Does it make you happy?" She asks back. The maw of the black suit's ''mask'' opening up to show her human face once more. Crossing her arms against her chest and turning around, she seems a bit dubious. Worried even, about its opinion on the matter. Neither of them appeared to be wanting to force the other. However, before the Klyntar could answer, the sound of a few knocks on the door of their room take the two out of their emotional chatter once more. Eddie furrows a brow at that and asks out loud. "Who is it?"

"Friendly neighbor." Angel's voice calls on the other side. She could almost hear his smirk.

"Real funny." With a roll of her eyes, Edwina takes a few steps towards the door and opens it nonchalantly. Staring to the man who was now leaning back on the wall, smiling as he still played with that cigarette, not lit, of course. "Do you actually smoke, or is it to look cool?" She asks once more, the same tone.

"Eh, I think it's the second? Huh. Never liked the smoke." He chuckles a bit as he composes his stance and scratches his neck, offering one to him in response then. "What about you?" His casual smile, however, still seems a bit endearing to her. She didn't feel any second intentions from him, and neither did Venom itself. Shaking her head in response to his offering, Angel just shrugs again and saves the things on the box that they came from. Edwina keeps her arms crossed then, staring down on him. - Due to the sheer size difference.-

"What do you want?"

"Nothing. I guess. I just wanted to talk." Again, he smiles honestly to her as he pulls down his hood and scratches his hair now. "I mean, come on, a hot woman on a tight black suit? You don't get to talk to one of those a lot here. Not that I complain, mind you. But..."

"It's not a suit. It's alive. We are." She corrects him then with a slight tilt of her head. His reaction doesn't change much, in fact, he chuckles a bit more. "Not the weirdest thing I've seen, you know? Besides, I like it. It's cool."

"I like this one."

"That much I can guess." She relaxes her expression then. Stepping out of her room entirely now, closing the door behind her while Angel is staring a bit wide-eyed at the intricate black web she crafted inside. Even whistling a bit at that piece of work. His attention is soon caught by Eddie again as she talks. "What's your deal? Man, that looking to hit on girls doesn't seem like a profile most people that live in a sewer like this have."

"I think it's the mutant label that's important, but...Well, I kind of live here." Angel's smirk diminishes a little at the question. Looking away for a slight moment as he explains with a slightly lower tone, compared to his joking, more energetic one. "I...Don't know what to tell you? I've just got here after my family..." He babbles a bit as if having problems finishing the sentence. Yet, in the brief, shared stare they have, they seem to come to a rapid understanding. He didn't have to say it. "Yeah, that...Parents...You know...My sister too...Cops think I did it? I...Think? I don't remember it very well. I don't want to, I guess. Callisto took me here after I had to run from the police and I have been here. It's nice, they are good people, you know? Like a family..."

He pauses. A grimace appears on his face again before he sighs.

"Sorry, huh. That wasn't very charming of me." He smiles up again and moves forward to pat Edwina's arm a bit. The blonde woman clad in the living suit just stares down at him for a moment, clearly bewildered at his revelation. He was just too open about it as if he didn't see any particular reason to not trust her. After a few blinks, she finally answers him by nodding to him. "Anyway? I just wanted to say hello. Leech was really adamant about you yesterday. I think he really likes you? Well, not for the reason I do. But you know, it's nice to have people from the upside help us out, to be a priority for once."

"God helps the outcasts," Edwina responds, her voice softening as does her tone. She almost seems to blush. In a way, it truly feels good, to help others like this? Gratitude and happiness. Whenever she did a good deed, it was rare and never she truly got to see the effects on it. But she could tell, these people truly appreciate her and her efforts. These people who, not much different from her, also had problems and were many casts out. The sense of kinship with them only grew. "And...My condolences for your family? I am sure they were good people."

"They were." Angel's smile remains sincere and sweet as he nods. "Anyways! Jeez. We really got a bit heavy, here? Do you plan to leave us so soon? I think Leech's gonna make a fit when he learns you left. Blackout too. And come on, I knew I would scare you out, but not so soon." With a heartily laugh, the man pats her arm again and slides around her arm for a moment before releasing her. Edwina just watches him for a few moments, frowning, before she smiles again and even laughs.

"Sorry to break your heart, kid. We have to return to our apartment, if anything, to see we didn't get kicked out just yet." Edwina answers, genuinely amused at him now. Giving him a playful ruffle on his head before she steps away to exit the hallway they are in. However, she does humor him with a comment as she walks away. "Though, don't worry. We'll try to come back, 'neighbor'"

With that, Edwina lets the Symbiote's jaw close around her face once more as they both make their way out. Angel just stands there for a moment with a silly smile on his face, watching her leave until she is out of sight. he laughs a bit to himself, standing there for a bit longer as he looks to the door of her new room. "Hot damn, can't believe it..."

~~~

Eddie made her way out of the small village and haven that the group of rag tags and outcasts. Not having found yet neither the children nor Callisto. However, she assured herself that they would understand why she was not there for the day. She still had to take care of that shady business in the docks that Callisto told her to, and get back home to eat something. Those apples simply didn't cut it for Venom. Too sour, tasteless.

Approaching the manhole from which she entered before, she suddenly stops at the sight of a shadowy figure sitting beside the stairs that go up. Concentrating it on, she manages to make up the figure. A man, pale, bulky and massive man that was as big as Venom and even wider. Hearing her coming, he starts to slowly stand up in an almost tired manner. He hunches forward, making himself look smaller than his herculean frame actually is. Yet, he stares at her with a [melancholic face](https://comicvine1.cbsistatic.com/uploads/scale_medium/11/117763/3308753-caliban.jpg). Not saying anything at first. Venom growls, but they do not seem to find him threatening after [a few moments](https://youtu.be/lYxRu19jC9c).

"Callisto said a lot about you last night. I just wanted to see you before you left. I thought you would, you have things to do." The man spoke, with a tone similar to his own behavior. Deep yet low and almost emotionless. Exhausted one could almost say. Shaking his head at the surprised Edwina, who can only muster a "Who are you?" Still wearing the Symbiote over. Her ethereal voice echoing in the sewer.

"Caliban. Sorry. It was not my intention to put you two on the edge. Yet, I can tell you two aren't scared. Not of me, at least." His words come with the same neutrality. No aggression at all. As he moves to sit again at the side of the stairs and stare forward once more. Venom approaches him carefully, standing beside him now as her frame looms over his. He still doesn't stare at her, yet, there are a few seconds of silence between the two of them. Venom just analyzes this man, his gestures, his face. He seemed different...Not just sad, but different. Worn-out. Many of the mutants she saw were angry, or scared, or hopeful. But he just seemed...Done.

"You are scared." He tells out of nowhere, as he finally moves his eyes to stare up at the monstrous face of Venom, who just tilts her head in response. "You are scared of who you are, of what you do, and how that affects you. You are scared that you may be a monster. A real one."

"..."

"You are scared of how I know this." He comments again. His tone never-changing. "Don't worry. It is only my power, and burden. It is tiresome to keep track of everyone's fears, even more, these days. However, you have lessened them amongst the people here. That much we can be thankful for." Caliban explains further as he now stares up at her. His honesty is straight-forward as are his intentions. Venom remains silent, just stares at him still without knowing how to react. "Callisto is happy. She thinks you can finally help the people here, and Leech is too. I am glad for that. People need hope, these more than any. And, even if you don't think so, you can give them that hope."

"You don't say." Venom pauses. The black stains on her face that act as eyes wandering around briefly. "Maybe we have a reason. You don't know the things we do. We have never been anyone's hero."

"You can start. You are scared that your past actions may define you. That you can't stop doing bad things. Yet, you still did something good. I do not know what kind of things you did, nor do I want to know them. But if you can be the hope of these people? Why not be it? After all, you may be the first human to inspire them this much."

"Half-alien, too." She remarks with a snarky tone. Though, a growl escapes from within her throat and makes it vibrate a bit. The thought still conflicts her a bit, despite her intentions. After everything, after all the pain she has caused. How much of a heroine can she be? A real one?

> _The sound of cracking bones does not lie._
> 
> _Nor does the pained, scared yells of the men._
> 
> _She can still feel it, taste it. Blood. Metal. Flesh. Oil._
> 
> _Memories - But of when and where?_

"We will do what we can." She finally concludes. Taking a few steps forward as she now looks over to the opened sewer hole over them, as the rays of sunshine leak down onto her. She gives the tired Caliban another stare, though, this time she can notice he seems to be smiling, even if weakly so. She responds with a wide grin of her own, showcasing her sharp and dangerous fangs.

"But we can promise you that, if someone wishes to harm your people, they'll have to answer to Venom."

With that, she flexes her legs and makes a massive leap over, coming out from the hole by literally shape-shifting into a slightly smaller, almost goo-like form around Edwina's frame.

Caliban chuckles, even if not happily, as he sees her leave.

~~~

[Home ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UanV1ifs6tk)at last, or well, what she could call home.

It wasn't really that much so. In fact, the trip back to her apartment was probably the most exciting part of the whole ordeal. An experience that always reminded her how much can Spider-Man enjoys his trips around the city. However, her fun was cut short as she now entered her apartment by the window. Slowly opening it before she crawls inside and then finally 'undresses' from her suit. Letting the black, goo-like mass return to her pores as she now remains with the clothes she used before. Which she also starts to undress from, as they were...well, smelling of sewer and filth. She clearly needed a bath.

However, her attention is soon turned towards her phone once more. Taking it from her pants to watch it and realize she had new voice messages that she didn't realize earlier in the morning. Frowning, she starts to put them all in succession as she retires to clean herself. The first message was spoken with the well-spoken voice of a man she knew well.

> _"Hey, Edwina? It's Andrew. Yes, THAT Andrew. I had a bit of a talk with a local attorney who wanted to know a lot about you. Are... you two dating? Just...Wow? I just found it weird he came here and mentioned you. Implied he wanted to get to talk to you. I was trying to encourage him to work for our firm but he legit wasn't interested. A Matt Murdock. Blind guy. Not that it matters but, right. So if this was just some guy you met at the bar and totally ditched for you know, blind? I'm not upset. I mean not that I would be upset you did that? OR that I would be upset you didn't? Nevermind, it's not my business and all so yeah. Okay. Forget I even called... damn it. Just, bye."_

Andrew Weying, her ex. it was kind of weird for him to call her like that. Their fallout has been a while ago, and while they have both been keeping tabs of each other somewhat? They were always more...Opposites. She was in her lowest, falling down at her disgrace while he was raising in his own legal firm as a prestigious attorney. Their worlds got different each day that passed, and the distance between them kept growing. It amused her, in a way, that he would call her like that after this time. It also gave her a bit of hope. He truly was the last thing she held of better times, and it was hard not to miss him.

> _"Hello. My name is Matt Murdock. I just got your number from someone you knew. I'm a public contracted lawyer investigating something specific for a case. I know it's strange but I may have a link between my case, and your former work in the bugle. It's a stretch but I'd like for you to come by my office in Hell's Kitchen, 713 Office Number 12 if you can make it today? Please, it's rather important work and could mean the world to my future case. I'll even pay you for your time, with what I can? If you need directions just google-map us, we're not easy to find but most my clients eventually do."_

That must be the attorney. The name 'Murdock' does ring a bell in her ears. She remembered him from her time in the Bugle as a reporter. Straight lawyer, down by the book. One of the few people most of her colleges seemed to truly respect and trust and the one they always handed the dangerous information. He was famous for not being afraid to try and take down big fishes. It sounded important, and besides, it was better a better job than her usual tabloid journalism, way better.

Finally getting out of the bathroom after the messages have ended. She watches the phone for a few moments as she ponders what to do next. The Symbiote, in fact, helps her with her everyday chores as it stands. With several of its tentacles helping her grab her clothes to dress up faster. She ponders a bit, speaking out loud to herself. -Or rather, to her Symbiote.-

"So? What do you think? That Murdock guy sounds like serious business. Maybe he can give us a hand with this thing about the Kingpin? Besides. It's been a while since I've had, well, a job...A real one." Edwina comments as she looks at her phone for a moment after dressing up in a new black T-Shirt, jeans, boots and a military jacket around her. She seems a bit frustrated over the matter. Still circling around the idea of calling Andrew. "Or..."

"That's your choice, Eddie. Your friend may wait. But those little things don't. The ones you seem to care about." Venom answers, almost in a surprising display that throws Eddie aback a bit. The thing had its moments.

"Yeah. I guess you are right. Andrew can wait. The innocents can't." She repeats, a bit more convincing after those words. With a slight grin, she saves her phone and moves towards the door to walk out of her apartment, though...She stops and turns to look at the window then. "By the way, you didn't tell me if it makes you happy. Does it?"

"..."

"You don't have to answer." She comforts it gently. Patting her own shoulder for a second before she turns back to the window and slowly shifts back into her Venom form. Why use the bike when she can do this? Besides, it felt good. All of this, it started to make her feel good. Powerful, important, sensual even. It gave her a purpose. Maybe being a heroine wasn't so bad?

Or so she thought to herself, as she leaps from the window and starts to swing around the city. Camouflaged in translucent light.

~~~

[Hell's Kitchen...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npX8OQaIW44)

It was a good thing that they could stand the heat.

Edwina recalls the stories she's heard of the place as she jumps from rooftop to rooftop. Aided by the superior strength given by her alien companion. From what she could recall, the place was really a show for the last few years. Not only crime had grown exponentially leaning to the violent side, but it was being fought by two vigilantes very different from what she was used to with Spider-Man. A man in a red devil suit who was not exactly nice with the criminals he caught, but better than the other.- A psycho with a skull on his shirt that outright murdered them on sight.

Then again, she was just as bad. So how could she even think to complain or judge? At least the big black monster was going to fit right in. In any case, the least she thought she needed was a turf-war of vigilantism. If she looked for one, Spider-Man was probably swinging not far away.

Her attention is finally caught by a nearby [building](https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/File:Nelson_and_Murdock_Law_Office_001.jpg) that seems to match the direction given to her through the phone. The place looked, all things considered, a bit shoddy and not the best well-kept place in town. Probably showing the somewhat limited resources their firm had at the moment. Yet, once more, who was Edwina to complain about shadiness? Losing no time, she crawls down into the darkness of a nearby alley. Letting the Symbiote squirm back into her body as she now comes out and walks to the place, which had its door opened. The halls lead her straight to where she needed. Some time and the office of 'Nelson and Murdock' was before her, leaning forward to knock the door only for then to notice a bit of a discussion going on the other side.

"MATT this is insane! They keep paying us in pies! PIES Matt!" The poor man's exasperation was evident on the other side.

The voice of another man asks, bemused, "You love pies. Look. There's chocolate, macadamia and best of all? I think they sent a shepherds pie. That's rare these days, meat-pie is delicious."

"Chocolate?!" The Symbiote cries out in her mind. Going from ominous to...Almost endearing.

The other man quails miserably before coming to the door, asking, "Do you think the lights are going to be on if we offer the city a few pies?" The door finally opens, and Edwina is met by the sight of an average-sized, yet trim and neatly-groomed blonde man who turns to look at her for a few moments, then looks back at his companion for a second before he shuts the door briefly, coughing on his hand and straightening his hair.

Eddie remains bewildered where she stands.

The door opens again, only to show this man again who smiles at her. "Welcome and pleased to meet you. I'm Mr [Franklin Nelson](https://i.imgur.com/sOmGy7U.jpg). Are you here for business?" He asks, probably trying to sound a bit suave. However, Eddie and Venom's attention was also rapidly caught by the office behind them. It was somewhat compact yet it had enough space to host several bookshelves with, well, books and also boxes filled with files. Some of them marked as 'Foggy's cases' and others as 'Matt's cases.' There also appeared to be another room at the right, probably some sort of more personal consulting room. But what truly caught their attention, or at least the alien's, was the fact that they had several...Cakes and pies over in their table. A nearby box reading 'payment' showed that they seemed to be just that.

At least they looked tasty.

"That looks delicious! Can we eat, Eddie? Can we eat? So many snacks. You finally found someplace worthwhile!" The over-excitement the ethereal voice of the Symbiote in her head was almost overbearing. Were she more weak-willed, the alien would have already thrown her to the food. But she manages to keep her composure and nod to Nelson. "We didn't come here for pies..." She murmurs. Now turning to look at the man sitting at a chair in the other consulting room was a man with red shades, a fine suit and shockingly bruises all over his brow, lip and knuckles. Eating a slice of a lemon pie on a small plate. Smiling kindly at her, he presents himself. "[Matt Murdock. I think you are Ed-](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ff/6e/d4/ff6ed4d8d3bafc58eeae75729425a502.jpg)"

"Wait, you serious? This is the girl you were looking for?" Nelson blinks as he turns back to look over at Eddie. Who, almost comically, towers a bit over him. "Please tell me it's a client and not a new bodyguard." With a chuckle, he turns back to look at Edwina and asks her this time. "No, but for real. How we can help you?"

"Well, Ahm..." Eddie tried to find the correct words. "I am Edwina Brock, and I kind of got a message from some 'Matt Murdock' who said I could be of use, and, well, you know, I am...Unemployed? So I thought I could do good with an actual job." She explained to Nelson. Though her attention was having to divide between him and the cakes. Venom was exalted.

Nelson looked to be more than happy at that proposition. "Really? We could use a secretary, in fact. If you're good at typing that's something we can work out in detail. If you, of course, don't mind maybe slowly getting up on the payment part of things..." The lawyer sighed worriedly. "My partner and I work mostly pro-bono. We get paid if the client is compensated. Most times they hardly ever have the money to pay. Instead, they give us food. Not the best type of work." Matt, however, knocks on his office door asking, "Foggy? Did she say she's Edwina Brock? I asked her for a special reason. Can you just send her in for me? Please?"

Foggy at this point warned, "Matt! She's willing to work for us! I think this is more important!"

"More important than getting a case filed through with her help, and earning us an actual paying client?"

Foggy rests his hands on his hips and shakes his head, but surrenders to the superior argument of his friend. "Well. If you are still interested in the job? Just say so." He explains as Eddie nods and he guides her to the room, closing the entrance door behind her as the trio new meets in Murdock's office.

Matt would be now strumming his fingers over a paper that had braille typed in underneath the words of each document. He told Edwina, "It's funny. You said 'we' didn't come for pies? Do you have a split personality?" Edwina stands still, completely bewildered, for she whispered that to herself. Matt grins with amusement, tapping his ears. "It's a benefit of being blind. I hear a lot. Also, I smell things too. You've been in the sewers?"

Foggy rolls his eyes at that, crying out. "Matt, come on! We don't need you to scare another client." But, Matt just smirked as he continued to read through his fingers. Motioning her to sit down in a chair while taking his cane and pressing some triple-decker chocolate cake to her. Edwina, of course, did not complain and was quick to grab a spoon to start eating the cake. She could feel the Symbiote URGING her to eat faster.

"This is great, Eddie! I knew you would make the right call!"

"Don't worry about that. We actually were thinking about what to do with so many pies. I didn't call you here for sweets and tea, though, I called you here for a case. A big one." Matt sat back in his chair and 'looked' at her grimly. The grin of his face disappearing while Edwina watches him with the same sense of seriousness...Even if she was eating chocolate while at it.

"Do you remember an article you did a while back about the recent rise of the supposed 'Kingpin' of crime? You suspected that Wilson Fisk, owner of Fisk Industries could somehow be in connection. Maybe even the actual Kingpin. Sadly nothing panned out..."

"Yeah. I remember." Edwina answers, cleaning her lips from the chocolate leftovers. "Took me a while to write the first drafts. Sadly? The big fishes in the Bugle said no, and reassigned me to report about the case of a...A serial killer." Her eyes lower, still apparently uncomfortable with even talking about that. It was a weighty failure. "Anyway. That man, Fisk? He was shady. Several people on his company had ties with the lower levels of the crime here, and there were some scandals regarding corruption and the like within it.- Even if nothing came out of it in courts. I actually made a sort of, case file out of him, I didn't know what was this about so I didn't bring it, but I could get it for you. I had some info regarding his activities and strange behaviors of his company." She explains, cleaning the chocolate from her cheek and then moving her thumb to her mouth.- She had actually lost count of how many pieces had she eaten already but Venom was happy and wanted more. Although Edwina's eyes remained on the blind one.

"You have one hell of a sweet tooth." Laughing at that he now grabbed another file. "Right. The Cletus Kasady murders? I remember those too. Shame you didn't get to catch the man before then. I think they called him what? The Red Slayer?" Leaving the file on the table alongside others. He rests his head on his cane, elaborating further on his previous point. "I'm starting a major legal case against Fisk Industries on behalf of several families who have lost their livelihood because of the forceful 'acquisition' of their homes and businesses. I just need to know what all you did on Fisk, and the Kingpin. Anything you can give me could be invaluable to my case. A lot of lives are riding on my work, so I just need to be sure about the facts. Also, if you could help me get a bit of information about him, that could do the trick. You were a reporter, right?"

Edwina scratches her neck a bit, pausing to recall. "Yeah...I think I still have the drafts I had on the cases. I will send them to you as soon as I can? And..." Now, that last part made her smile, truly smile. It felt like ages since the last time she got a job like that, a real job. The kind she studied for.- Get the big men in their high castles to fall down. Nodding with enthusiasm, she rapidly answers. "Of course! I will see what I can do and look for. I will try to be careful, too. I've...Heard a lot of things about Fisk. I wouldn't want you to get on his blacklist. They say he is rather dangerous."

Matt furrows a brow at that. Edwina then follows his 'gaze' as he stares around the office. There were no photos of loved ones or the like, except for a single picture of a young man Matt with his father standing, raised over his head a belt for boxing. Matt took a moment to just lay his hand on that picture before he then roughly growled out from his throat, "Fisk. That man's a bully. I've met a lot of those over the years. My dad? He made it very clear. You can't always make friends with bullies. You can't always talk them down. You just can't." Standing up he sat on the desk and told Edwina as he now held that frame in his hands. Like he could see that memory clear as day. "Sometimes you have to go toe-to-toe and you take your lumps, you take your bruises. Just make sure you give them enough too so that they go down and they go down hard." With that, Matt smiled at Edwina. A sure-of-himself man. He just warned her, "I also took my father's life lesson to heart. You don't lay down and roll over for the bad guys."

Edwina takes a few moments to look up to him before she lets her gesture turn pensive once more. While the Symbiote was still entertained with the taste of the sweets, she could not help but think about those words. Truly, with that much power, she has, how much has she spent letting the 'bad guys' rollover? Worse yet...how much was she slowly growing into one? It was a thing she didn't think too much about. However, this man was inspiring, and eventually, she manages to shake it off and chuckle at his words. Looking up to him to nod. "You sure have your way with people, huh? Not even Captain America could give a better speech."

"He also has good cakes!"

Matt laughs as he sets down the photo. Telling down Edwina. "Fisk is doing something on the pier, on the west end. That's where my leads took me. I know it's not much but there is one location that sets out from all the others. Fishing plant, Protonema. The last family that refused to relocate. The mother and father were working on a serious lawsuit years ago. Then they disappeared. The son also is missing. The daughter? She's in the Ravencroft Institute for the mentally unwell. She keeps crying about a monster that attacked her family." That is when he pulls out another photo. It was a family picture of a man and woman, along with a daughter and son whom at immediate look reveals that Angel was the boy, but thanks to the hat and a nifty trick his tail looked more like a belt than a tail and the horns were hidden. They must have loved him even if he was a mutant? "Michael, Tabitha, and Angel Rivera. The three are gone. Not a clue where. Elder-sister Amanda, age 19 is locked up in a padded room with cries of gnarling teeth and supposedly a monster eating her parents whole. On her brother's birth-day no less. This is the stuff of nightmares."

"..." Eddie's reaction is nothing short of freezing on the spot. Almost paling. To think she just spoke with that man a few hours before? She knew what happened to him was bad. But looking at the photo just made it even worse. Then again, a monster? That didn't sound like him. They were a happy family, or at least the photo implied so. Then how could that happen? Was it really him? The questions continue to raze through Edwina's mind.

Matt inquires of Edwina, "You ever regret it? Not finishing the search for Kasady? People died. Maybe your editorial team didn't care but I bet yo-" Just then, he got a phone call. Standing, he looks to the person and frowns, before turning back at her as if knowing it will be a long talk. "Anyways. You can take the files with you.- I've got copies.- In case you want to look over those cases yourself. Try to send me the things you got about the Kingpin as soon as you can, yes? I'll see how to pay you. The address of the fishing plant is there." He tells her. Holding the phone.

Eddie was left holding the cases and wondering. His words also cut right through her. She could not truly recall what hurt her more about that case. Her inability to find the true killer in time? People dying? Or maybe not getting the fame? It was something that, regardless, kept her frustrated. Angry. She saw that failure in every criminal she found, in the people she lashed out so harshly. But she could not let that thing happen again, not if she had the chance. Grabbing the files, she tells him. "I'll look for it tonight after I send you what I've got. Thank you, really. I don't think I can go today. But...You know, I probably owe you a breakfast, huh?" Edwina remarks, amused.

"Hah. Sure thing. So long as you are not doing it out of pity for the blind guy?" He walks out with his phone still ringing, yet his smile growing. However, he stands still on the edge of the door as if he was paying attention to something. Turning to 'stare' in Edwina's direction, paying attention.

"He is listening." Venom remarks. Somewhat wary.

"If you want a bit last of advice?" Matt says with a more serious semblance. "People you love. That's a thing you need if you are going to make it through this world. It doesn't have to be someone you know personally. It can be a city. I know that much for sure." With that, he moves to walk out of the office and answer his call.

Edwina smiles at that, just watching him leave and then turning her attention to Foggy, who now stands in the doorway with a smirk of his own as well. "Well, seems like you got the job? Good luck with that. You can stay here for a while longer? I'm gonna close in the afternoon." He then steps away to let her read the files then, leaving the door of the office open to keep an eye on her nonetheless.

Edwina smiles then and takes the files on her hands again. She starts to look over them now while also eating the leftovers of the massive chocolate cake, now reduced to a few pieces. Once more, there was a sense of warmth in her. It felt good, to finally be back at it, at the things she did better and saw with nostalgia. Now focusing on those files in the daylight hours that may rest. For she would have a busy evening.

~~~


	3. Hell Itself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edwina's first outing as a superheroine has unexpected complications. As she realizes she's not the only vigilante out there.

> ** Protonema Fishing Plant.**
> 
> **Area;** 100,000 square foot.
> 
> **Owner:** Osborn Corp officially.
> 
> ** Known Info:** Believed to have multiple lower levels. _(construction worker statements but denied by officials? WHY?_) Protonema fishing has registered three fishing vessels. That patrol regularly the Manhattan Bay. (_Over 30 ships come into port. Sending their 'goods' into the place. What are they transporting?_). Protonema was built over 12 months, construction was paid for primarily the **Oscorp** name; not Fisk Industries through several materials and personnel work within Fisk. (_These two work together a lot. Co-conspirators? Norman Osborn as Kingpin?_)
> 
> **Unusual Occurrences:** Anyone who lived in the area of the plant had been bought out and forced to move. Neighboring homes eventually also were made to relocate on account of 'air-sound pollution'. (_Some people left with practically nothing. Feel they were 'muscled out'_) The last family unwilling to leave was the **Rivera **family. Asked for a cease and desist order. The family disappeared shortly after starting investigations and questioning.
> 
> **Security Staff: **Despite the relatively calm dealings that are supposed to partake here. Oscorp has made sure to use as much of Fisk's muscle as possible. The area is heavily guarded and few interior access has been granted to people outside of the working crew. I suspect Fisk or Osborn has been using bribery in the local authorities. Wouldn't surprise me, considering his latest Major campaign. - I have a few reports from people there that a man in strange black body armor has been spotted there from afar during the uploading of cargo. With skeleton details, too. Wonder where I heard about that one? But I don't think it's him. Some of the people I managed to interview said the name 'Crossbones' between whispers. I wonder what is up with that.

The account was Matt's own personal investigation annexed to the actual public details of the plant. There really was nothing too surprising about it. Just a big fishing plant close to the docks. But it did look heavily guarded. Too much for any normal business that isn't under some death threat.

> [Rivera Reports](https://youtu.be/NOSIm79iXzM)
> 
> "Manhattan Police Station,
> 
> Interrogation Room.
> 
> Suspect; Amanda Rivera.
> 
> Officer Morris as Interrogator.
> 
> 1-hour in.
> 
> Transcribed by: Clay McLeod Chapman[/QUOTE]
> 
> **Officer:** Okay, let's try this again. I know it's hard. You need to tell me everything you remember.
> 
> **Suspect:** I told you! I TOLD you what happened? Why won't you believe me?
> 
> **Officer:** We must get everything right. All the details. If we are going to find out what really happened.
> 
> **Suspect:** (sighs heavily) Okay...Okay, I'll try. My brother Angel was late, and mom begged me to go find him. He was down the street with this girl he had a crush on. Cute little blonde I think her name was, Julia...She was sweet on him too...They were kissing when I found him and told him mom and dad were waiting at home for his big birthday surprise. He was excited because, honestly, Mom and Dad spoiled us. They spoil him more. He was...Special. They wanted him to remember that. I did too. I-I...G-God, I...(Suspect cuts her speech. Taking a deep breath)
> 
> **Officer:** Right, I know. Please? What happened when you got there?
> 
> **Suspect:** Well we got there and I noticed this Ice Cream Truck outside...
> 
> **Officer:** Ice Cream Truck?
> 
> **Suspect:** Y-Yes...we'd seen it circling the block all hours of the day. Mom thought maybe it was just trying to make up loose sales here in Hell's Kitchen. I didn't like it. It was weird. The driver was creepy as hell, and...And...
> 
> **Officer:** Let's get back on the subject of the house. You noticed the door was unlocked?
> 
> **Suspect:** Yes! which was weird...Dad ALWAYS locks it when we leave, I keep the key in my purse. My brother has a spare in his hat. H-He never forgets his hat. Anyway. I called out for mom and dad...T-They didn't answer. The l-lights were...O-Out... We went inside and in the Kitchen mom and dad were...T-They were...G-gagged...S-Sitting with party hats on their h-h-head. Then... I saw...[it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7IATLoiR3Y&list=PLURBlBqSzVmH8ZxBwnIiQgTDi7hbcA89k&index=37)...Big red eyes, sharp teeth...That horrible smile...That fucking... smile...! (Suspect loses her composure once more. Starting to hyperventilate heavily)
> 
> **Officer:** So, this 'Boogey Man' was waiting for you two?
> 
> **Suspect:** Y-YES! It laughed...Jesus...It laughed...I-It laughed...
> 
> **Officer:** What happened next?
> 
> **Suspect:** I... I don't...
> 
> **Officer:** Please this is important.
> 
> **Suspect:** I just...I just stood there. Angel...He cried to let them go...T-That thing...It laughed again. And again...And again...He...He asked Angel...W-When did h-he turn so o-old? He was...He was going to...It's his birthday...T-T-Today...And...He--He held t-them...He held them...He held them...
> 
> **Officer:** Calm down! You're getting... excited.
> 
> **Suspect:** (Deep weeping. Sniffling) I'm sorry...I'm sorry...! H-He said he had a gift for...F-For...
> 
> **Officer: **What happened? <s>Amanda</s>, what happened?
> 
> **Suspect: **HE ATE THEM! (Scream, further sobbing)
> 
> **Officer:** Your brother wasn't 'normal' you mentioned that. What happened next? You admit he was a 'mutant' right?
> 
> **Suspect:** (Crying for a few minutes.)
> 
> **Officer: **Please. This is important.
> 
> **Suspect: **Y-Yes...He was s-special...H-He blew, he w-was so angrily...He burned the house. I r-ran...And r-ran...And...And...(Sobbing again. The Suspect continues to mumble incomprehensible things)
> 
> **Officer: **It's fine. We'll continue this later. Please, try to rest. We'll take care of this.
> 
> **Officer Report: **Suspect is traumatized and making a story about a 'monster' to cope with possibly murder or kidnapping of her family. No signs of anything she tells beside the burned to ash ruins of her house. Mutant brother probably lost his temper and torched the house. The girl is relaying her true memories with no desire to see her brother as the real monster. The girl needs help. It'll be best to transfer her to the Ravencroft Asylum for the Mentally Unwell. Give her the care we can. Her family had a pretty big insurance fund that was prime on fire damage. I guess if you have a tiger as a pet, you want to have death by mauling as your life insurance."

The officer report comes alongside her file in the Ravencroft Asylum. It appears she is under the care of Doctor Harleen Quinzel, who has diagnosed her with possible delusions due to heavy trauma, anxiety, and depression.

~~~

[And so, Edwina saw the towering plant from her high spot.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZv2OCbQOmI)

The thought of the two files continue to circle her thoughts as she tries to focus her mind on the matter at hand. Having taken her professional camera from her apartment to do some proper photography job and see what was happening. Collect evidence, at least as much as she could, before things started to go south as she knew they would. Having taken place over the rooftop of an apartment building thanks to her powers. She managed to catch a few photos of the place and confirm what the file said. - Too many armed guards, the constant movement of cargo that she was sure could not be fish. In fact, many of the crates and boxes they pull to their ships have the 'Stark Enterprises' Logo. As well as the other man the files spoke about. Apparently barking orders to the people around. [He sure looked like some bad guy in her eyes, if the skulls and bones on his military outfit were not a clear sign.](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/3c4f2585-9f9a-4822-8372-2baf2b5a07d2/da1h9my-d4c38190-7b95-48fe-aa30-36b4e3b45afc.png/v1/fill/w_771,h_1036,q_70,strp/crossbones_by_metabrush_da1h9my-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTUxMSIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzNjNGYyNTg1LTlmOWEtNDgyMi04MzcyLTJiYWYyYjVhMDdkMlwvZGExaDlteS1kNGMzODE5MC03Yjk1LTQ4ZmUtYWEzMC0zNmI0ZTNiNDVhZmMucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTExMjUifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.7rze2wOKu0pDL0TbGSDgrCESwdsrAjMe5_xidRdcv7k)

Yet, her mind continues to wander around.

'He ate them' were her words. It made her eyes twitch. Hit too close home. What happened to that girl, what happened to Angel, what happened to those mutants in general. - It was unfair, unjust. Something she simply could not stand beside and watch as she has done for so long. She had power, more power than any of these people could ever have in their entire existence. But she decidedly did not use it to protect the innocent, at least not like this. Not to fight for them. - Sure, she made sure no one was hurt when she fought Spider-Man, and she...Ate those criminals...Those who hurt the innocents. But the thought now made her wince. How much was truly helping? How many people like Leech did she let pass after she ate their attackers? How much could she prevent? Sin by inaction is still sinning. And even without taking that into account...Was it really fair? For her to be hailed as a heroine now? She was, after all...

"We are not monsters, Eddie." The voice of the Symbiote takes her out of her thoughts once more and helps concentrate once more. Taking a deep breath, she can't do more than agree.

"Yeah..." Eddie simply responds and sighs. "We won't get a lot with this. We'll have to get deeper into the place." She now declares and moves to stand up. At least, if anything, her powers were a benefit now.

Simply jumping down from the building she rushes to the place by the side, avoiding the main road as she now rushes to the large walls that protect the complex. With barbed wires that appear to be somehow connected to an alarm system. Yet, for Edwina, they were barely any problem to pass. Simply using her alien life-form around her legs to strengthen them and make a large jump over it. Falling with a deaf thud on the other side and then rapidly running to cover herself behind the nearby containers. Sneaking a few shots with her camera at the things there.

Crates full of weapons manufactured by Stark, another kind of supplies like power batteries, arc reactors and another tech she couldn't discern at first. If Stark was not in league with these people, then they were surely scoring a big heist. However, no traces of people. Not of her own at least. But she managed to get a few closer shots at the mean man that runs the thing. Still, she needed more...But she could not do it as Edwina.

"Behind you, Eddie."

The warning of the Symbiote came a bit too late, and when Edwina rapidly turns the man is already behind her. However, while she was expecting some thug to attack her, it was not the case. Instead the figure of a [man in a red devil suit](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/a335e03d-1d7a-414d-a956-606c193bfdba/d9wluoy-8696eaf3-f38b-4b0e-bfb0-4469b5cd4703.jpg/v1/fill/w_780,h_1025,q_70,strp/the_devil_of_hell_s_kitchen__by_ozartwork_d9wluoy-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTA1MSIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2EzMzVlMDNkLTFkN2EtNDE0ZC1hOTU2LTYwNmMxOTNiZmRiYVwvZDl3bHVveS04Njk2ZWFmMy1mMzhiLTRiMGUtYmZiMC00NDY5YjVjZDQ3MDMuanBnIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTgwMCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.oqL9ofSRyXnz9neq_lzziM9-zILw4HCmUBeZq1qm_vI). He was tall, with a strong and athletic build but that dives more into the lean category than outright bulky. He was clearly agile in that respect. More importantly, his mask hides his eyes. It was, literally, a blindfold. Edwina's first question was how was he able to watch her and yet, he seems to be fully aware of where she is.

"How did you know I was coming? Huh. It's weird when that happens to me instead." A slight smirk appears on the lips of the man now. "Edwina Brock? I recognize you. The reporter, right? You are in for a bad story if they catch you here. The Kingpin is not nice to those who mess up with him. So, what are you doing here?"

"I am just..." Edwina pauses for a moment. She considers may be shifting into Venom and knock him out. But this was a good man, a protector of the innocents. -Like she wanted to be.- That would be unfair. Instead, she just smiles a bit nervously and says. "I am in for a story, yeah! Taking photos. Look." Lifting her camera, she waves it a bit. "I mean it, I really need this job? Please? How about you go there and kick them a bit so I can take some nice photos?"

"You really don't believe that will work, do you?"

"Shut up." Edwina's thoughts almost escape her mouth as she stares at the vigilante somewhat worriedly. She really didn't want to pick up a fight right now.

Daredevil just 'stares' at her for a few moments without saying anything, as if he was looking through her. Yet, his smile once again reassures her. "Fine. But you should not be so reckless. I am sure your employer didn't want you to come this far. Besides, I don't think tonight's a good night for some superhero-model shoots. Just try to leave as soon as you can. I'll try to make this the least messy I can." With that, his head now turns to look at the massive plant that towers over the whole place. His mask hiding the full extent of his frown, but it was still noticeable. "There are many armed men inside. They have the bulk of their forces there. It's a good moment for..." Then. He stops.

There is silence for a moment. But it is broken in Edwina's mind as her head feels a slight, tickling sensation in the back of her head. She knew well what that meant.

["Get down!" Yelled the man in the red suit to Edwina.](https://youtu.be/Qf6-xx2fLa8)

A [heavily armored van](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/cmx-images-prod/Item/343676/Previews/fef2fd77450257d39d6a69a8fb6a2750._SX1280_QL80_TTD_.jpg) breaks through the front doors at high speeds. Trashing any barricade or wall it had in its way as it bulldozers its way into the place. The van skids and screeches heavily as it forcefully swings and opens it's back entrance, revealing the image responsible for this. [A strong, bulky man with military gear and a noticeable skull marking into his shirt. This was Frank Castle, The Punisher.](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/f16ea62a-226c-4fbf-8182-09b6c30ae43c/dc6ffpo-3991da50-05ca-4728-9a10-8e57f70ad6a0.jpg/v1/fill/w_900,h_1312,q_75,strp/punisher_by_vinz_el_tabanas_dc6ffpo-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTMxMiIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2YxNmVhNjJhLTIyNmMtNGZiZi04MTgyLTA5YjZjMzBhZTQzY1wvZGM2ZmZwby0zOTkxZGE1MC0wNWNhLTQ3MjgtOWExMC04ZTU3ZjcwYWQ2YTAuanBnIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTkwMCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.I2hAsTE7iyw7SjG_G7apj7D9oASQF5PMAsMgDfxbNPM) A figure everyone knew well and knew what he was here to do. Without even dignifying the thugs and guards with anything but a threat or warning, he lowers his rifle and starts to shoot at everyone around with uncanny precision. The van itself also starts moving and deploys a turret from its ceiling, shooting at the targets at the commands of the Punisher himself. The situation escalated so rapidly neither Edwina nor Daredevil had much time to react. It became a bloodbath in a matter of seconds. Frank's aim was flawless, his bullets found the bodies of the guards that dared to move out of cover almost automatically. He looked less like a man and more like a killing machine, perfected from years of this routine. Edwina could see it from her position, it was scary to behold. He didn't even flinch, as the ground was bathed all over the flowing blood.

"DAMN IT!" The heroic devil curses. "Stay down! Get out of here now, I'll deal with this!" Rushing out of his position, Daredevil uses his grappling sticks to disarm many of the guards as he leaps all over the place. Leaping with the agility of a master acrobat from a container to the next and forcing the guards to take cover. Yet, it was a moot point, for The Punisher shoot them down no matter what. The fight is then taken between the two heroes, as the agile fighter now throws his baton at Castle and makes him throw his rifle away, angering him as he yells. "Not now, Choir-Boy! I have something more important here than you. So you better move before I shoot at your leg!" With that threat, he now reaches for his handgun on his bolster.

The two 'heroes' now went into some kind of fight, despite their unwillingness to truly hurt each other. Edwina heard the combat from his hide-out, yet, she also knew it was the moment to shred the reporter act. Huffing, she saves her camera on her backpack and shakes her head. "Jeez, do I make messes like these all the time?"

"THIS MAN IS KILLING MY SNACKS!"

Edwina blinks and shakes her head again. With a mental command, she now allows the Symbiote to take over her form as before. Her frame growing in size and strength as the black goo solidifies as a bio-armor over her body and she shifts into her monstrous, alien body. Storing her belongings inside of her biomass as well. The two men are still locked into their confrontation, but Edwina had no time to deal with it. She had a more important mission.

Rapidly shooting her web-like substance to a nearby post and jump over to it as she now watches the struggle between the two of them, which now came to melee. Daredevil and Punisher were trying to disarm each other through locks and grabs as their fight descents into a street brawl. Meanwhile, the remaining guards start to regroup and try to leave towards the entrance. No signal of the 'boss' either. Shooting more webbing to trap the guards in it, she now turns to look at the vigilantes and extends a thick and sharp tendril to stab the ground between them, forcing them to step back.

"Hey, boysssss~! We are sorry to interrupt your dispute, but don't you think you have something more important to take care of?" Venom said. Edwina's voice distorted enough by her new form that it would not be recognizable, echoing in the place. "There are innocents inside this plant. We do not care about your little squabble. So either you help us? Or scram."With that, she leaps down to stand between the two of them. Stopping them from outright continuing their fight as thicker tentacles extend from around her back to the two of them, somewhat menacingly. The two men were rather...Confused, and in awe.

"She's with you?" Frank Castle asks his rival, with a furrowed brow of surprise. To which Daredevil just shakes his head.

"You better choose now!" Venom snarls back at the two of them before she finally moves away and walks towards the front door of the plant which was now shut down by thick metal doors. The alarms having gone on a long time ago.- They bothered her, but they were not the right frequency to hurt her.- And so she approaches the walls with single-minded determination. Eventually, The Punisher just lowers his gun and huffs, walking to take back his rifle as Daredevil allows him.

"She's right. We are losing time here. I didn't come here to fight you, Choir-Boy." He turns back to follow her. The man in the red suit frowns a bit but moves to follow the group as well. The three 'heroes' now standing in front of the door, and the sound of orders and people moving was evident now. They were preparing, their small feud was enough to give them time to regroup. It was bad enough by itself, but now they were racing against time.

"Fine, but if we are doing this? You are not killing. We are doing this without any of us killing." Daredevil remarks once more as they prepare to open the door. Stopping in front of Venom as well. "That includes you.- I know who you are. I know you are dangerous. I am not bringing a monster to this."

Venom now towers over him. Her snarl growing as she shows him her fangs and a deep grunt of irritation at that. But the man concedes no ground on this. No matter how much the massive woman stares down angrily upon him. Even as she drools some of that strange, green substance and beams her sharp teeth close to him. The man is...Well, blind to it. Frank just huffs as they do this.

"Whatever. I don't have time for this. I'll go non-lethal, just this once." Punisher tells them and tries to crack the code of the door as he connects it to a phone-like device that he has attached to his wrist. Venom now looks away as this happens and finally moves to stand in front of the door once more.

"Fine, no killing."

**"WHAT?! Then how I am going to eat them?!" **The Symbiote's voice in her mind instantly asks, rather bothered by this. The alien was angered, it desired to keep doing as they have before. It made it happy. It made her...Well, it didn't make her happy. But she never stopped it. The alien assumed there wasn't much bad to it. These people were evil, and its concept of morality was still limited. Yet, Edwina knew better than that.

She ate those thugs and the boy still called her a heroine. But how long could she push that luck? She knew better. Being a monster was not being a heroine. With a sense of finality, she now puts her claws on the door. The Symbiote, while not entirely happy, would not go against its host's wishes. It didn't like it, but neither would it abandon Eddie. It could not. And so the two of them continue to work together. The Punisher and Daredevil stand behind her as she was making quite the show of force until she pulls the door open with preternatural strength that makes the metal crack and forces it open from side to side. The demonstration made both her companions and even the formation of guards in front of her take a single second just to stare, impressed. They did not expect that. It felt good, at least for that single second. She even grins to them briefly, mockingly. But the joy didn't last.

["KILL THEM!"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-zh4Omi3jE)

The 'boss' of these people, Crossbones, finally yells out at them and without any delay, a Salva of bullets flies straight towards the group in front to shoot them down. About a dozen rifles open fire at the same time, with the thunderous zone of their firearms spitting bullet after bullet to the group. The hallway was as large as its outside implied. Its hermetical white walls totally shooting down any pretense that this may be an actual fishing plant, as strange tubes and the like perk from the ceiling. Something was off, but there was simply no time for the group to investigate now.

Venom takes the lead now, joining her arms as the black biomass of her bio-armor moves in front of her and creates a large shield from which she blocks the bullets and covers both of her companions now. Their bullets are quite ineffective against her, not dissimilar to shooting an armored tank, but this one was...Fast. She rushes forward as the two men run behind her. The line in front finally starts to break but to little avail, as she literally rams over them and throws a few of them over their heads. Roaring loudly, with her monstrous growl echoing through the place and once more making the thugs step back, almost cowering in fear.

The other vigilantes take care of that. Castle makes honor of his word, shooting up to the legs and arms of the mercenaries at the left side as he disarms them and throws them down. Forcing his way forward, he charges against them, bringing them to the ground and evading their bullets by predicting their movements. Again, his movements are not unlike that of a cold and logical machine. Almost instant, brutal, not losing even a single bullet that he could use later in shooting at them. It was...Well, it was still a scary sight, and the yells of pain were still evident. But they were alive, even if like that.

On the other side, there was Daredevil. He was the sharp contrast to the bulky and more brutish Castle. The man's agility was perplexing, moving as if he knew where to strike before people made the full move. Evading bullets as if he could see them coming before they left the barrel, and throwing his batons to nearby enemies to disarm them just as soon as they reached for their weapons. He was more than professional or simply good. He was brutally effective, leaving about a dozen men down on the ground, beaten and bruised. He left them alive, he was heroic, but he didn't go easy on them either.

And finally? There was Venom.

She had to fight off the urges with all of her will now. Of the trio, she was the harshest to the criminals. Barely measuring her strength to only leave them beaten on the ground and even then.- Many bones were broken, their suits torn as her claws cut through them and then she leaves them to simply leave. Only at times, she is able to retain some control and use her webs - A far cleaner method of submission- To tie them down. But it wasn't because she didn't know, she was...Trying her best. She had let the Symbiote's dark urges go rampant for so long, that now that she tries to pull back the leash it was an uphill battle. The temptation was there; The blood, the high, the adrenaline, the opportunity. Opening way easily with her superior strength, she waves her arms, punching and pushing people away. Ramming them into the floor and then stomping them. At this point, the guards outright move away from her and start to leave and run away. Only to be picked up by the two other men.

And even then, she had to fight THAT urge. She had to hold herself back. It would be so easy for her, so easy to just open her drooling mouth and bite down the nearest mercenary with her fangs. But she couldn't do that. She had to push through.

Eventually, they reach the end of the corridor. Yet they got into the inner parts of the fishing plant. Some kind of large reception room so to speak. With several stairs going up and a single one going down. Yet their attention rapidly goes to the lower levels, as they could hear the leader of the operation barking some more orders like a rabid dog. The indications showed that those stairs led to some 'laboratory.' And that was enough to give them the indication that what they needed was there.

Running down there. Daredevil had already found another, smaller metal door that sealed the entrance to whatever was behind. He was trying to work on the pad himself, but he was no expert, huffing as he finds it pointless. "I can't sense the heartbeat of anyone behind this door." He explains, turning to look back at Venom and Punisher.

"That is supposed to be good or bad?" Frank asks, his rifle now on his shoulder as he stares to the door as well. Daredevil shakes his head. "I don't know. Maybe it's blocking them, or maybe its--"

"GRRAH!" Interrupting their conversation. Venom once more doesn't wait for them and outright breaks the door to make her own entrance. Digging her claws into it and then forcing a hole as she splits it apart. Destroying the metal as if it was paper and then pushing herself forward, the two follow behind then. And they find themselves in...

A large corridor once more, yet this was smaller, tighter. There were 40 rooms on each side, and the doors were large steel doors with a shutter each and a monitor that shows an image of someone and their status. Yet, they didn't allow to see much more as they were 'blocked.' Probably used by some classified personnel., "They have them locked up. We need to hurry." Daredevil ran down the hall, and as he did? He suddenly stopped and screamed, "Trap!" It was without warning for most, except for Edwina, who felt a slight stab on the back of her neck that warned her. Yet the floor and ceiling opened, and odd cylinder turrets came out. With four rows of openings to each; firing small red balls of energy. Not bullets this time. Sizzling heat came off the bolts as they fire at the heroes. Daredevil leaped around the bolts as he was agile enough, tossing his cane jamming one of the turrets it blew to bits. Punisher however screamed, blown back and through the door. Cursing numerous times as he rolled around burn-marks in his outfit. Even so, he fired blowing one of the drone-turrets to pieces. Leaving two still firing at the group, protecting another metal door at the end of it. That was where they could guess the remnants of the crew remained. Yet, they had to focus now.

These weapons were different, and especially threatening for Venom. That same jab at her neck warns her - Like the one Spider-Man felt, but weaker. The Symbiote could not entirely replicate it.- Of another impending shot and a few more. She evades them by rolling away and crawling to the wall, but before she can counterattack by sending a tentacle to slam the turrets, one of those beams hit her and throws her down to the ground heavily by the sheer force of the blast. More importantly, it leaves part of her biomass burned. Venom screeches in pain, clawing the ground in a hysterical fit as the heat was especially harmful to her, and yet, the turrets readjust and aim at both her and Castle now, who was still in the ground, groaning in pain.

Without time to spend to destroy the thing, she moves to protect a bewildered Castle with her body. Putting her larger frame over him and making another shield-like appendage grow around her back and cover them. A few more of those blasts of heats are shot at her, and once again she shrieks in pain. Acting as a human shield for the vigilante. Yet, this unexpectedly heroic action gives the Punisher time to recover and reload, yelling to her. "MOVE!" And so she does, taking a step aside to open way. The Punisher unloads another clip on one of the turrets, destroying it into pieces while Daredevil rapidly rushes to aid them as well, throwing his baton at another one and hits it in its hinges, breaking it by attacking its weak points.

"Thanks." The Punisher said as he finally manages to pull himself up, gritting his teeth through the pain of his burn wounds. Venom just growls a bit more and nods briefly, turning to now accompany Daredevil. The man groans, once again trying to open the door through its shutter. Yet, he rapidly steps back once Venom comes forth once again. Even with her regenerating form? She is still more than able to break it. Her tentacles stabbing into the thing like hooks and splitting it apart wide open.

Two guards were left, but they were easily dispatched as Daredevil once again throws his batons to them. The place looked like the combination of a desk office and a laboratory. Keeping many samples of fluids cataloged with names they didn't understand. As well as several computers that appear to act as databases. Frank Castle drags himself to one of those computers, and plugs a USB there, frowning as he grabs a comm from his belt and speaks. "B-V? Can you look this over?"

The trio now looks at the computer. This 'B-V' appears to be some kind of program? Or a person? It was hard to say, really. But Frank spoke with her and it appears to be quite capable. Cracking into the system and now the screen lights up, giving access...

> **WARNING: **PURGE PARAMETERS ENGAGED
> 
> **Poison Gas Siphon via Ventilation:** ONLINE (Sub-Basement Vats Emptying)
> 
> **Explosive Foundation Countdown:** ONLINE (Explosives Charging for Detonation)
> 
> **Emergency Escape Tunnels via Sewers: **OPEN (Seven Personnel Escaped)
> 
> **Internal Video Stream:** DOWNLOADED
> 
> **Last Authorization:** Brock Rumlow (Officer Crossbones) 

The Punisher rubbed his eyes. "Fuck. BV? Can you stop ANY of this?" There was a pause, Punisher pressed his finger to his ear, Venom couldn't realize much, but Daredevil stares at Castle somewhat curiously. The man snaps, "Damn it! BV? Where's the Prototype?" The computer screen shows a map. On it there was the map of the tunnels leading down from this office into the sewers which are where Crossbones fled to, the Sub-basement was back in the main center of the facility leading a different way than they went this is where the gas agents were. Lastly, the 'prototype' was through a secret room in this office, but to get to it someone needed to hack the computer through some terrible fire-walls.

Punisher hides his face with his hand for a moment as he huffs once more. Yet, he turns to look at the other two. "We need to get these people out of the cells. I'll have B-V try to open them. But-..."

"No time." Daredevil says and turns back to Venom. "We are going to need your help." He says and motions her to follow him. Venom follows him with her gaze as he rushes to the exit, yet, she turns to look at Castle somewhat confused. "What are you looking for?"

"There is something in the armory here...I need to look over it. Before it's either lost or worse." He explains as he moves to stand up, holding onto his still hurting chest. "Besides? I ain't worth much to help you here. Go, do your thing. You look more like a hero than me anyways."

That strangely felt like a compliment, at least to Eddie underneath the suit. With a nod, she moves to follow behind Daredevil who was still waiting for her and Frank now moves to another door which leads even further down. Losing himself into the path towards the armory.

There was no time to waste, however. The poison gas could get into the cells at about any moment and the heroes had to act fast. There were about a dozen people in these cells hermetically closed into steel doors that were simply too much of a hassle to open through shutters. Instead, she opens them once more by way of brute force. Venom rips them from their hinges one after the other. Civilians, most of them were in fact mutants, were left somewhat scared of her appearance. But she was quick to lead them out and Daredevil helped lead them out as well.

Door after door, she manages to open them in time. Yet? She also noticed the gas started to pour out. None had smelled it but there was little time to wait for it. She finally came to the last door, only to then realize a familiar face appear in the monitor and the sound of sobbing that also sounded too similar. A girl, a mutant girl. Venom roars and loses her cool rather quickly at that, as she throws away the door even harder and walks forward, but then- A light blinds her, for a second at least.

"V-Venom?" The voice? That voice. It was with a sudden grasp on her leg that the small raincoat-wearing girl hugged Venom tightly whimpering, "I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I was training in my new secret place and some men... they found me and took me here. I was so scared. I'm so sorry." Blackout, the mutant girl the Morlocks were taken care of. Blackout was with tears in her eyes and cried out happily, "Thank you. You saved me! I-I was so scared. There was that funny smelling air an-"

"YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!" Daredevil yells out from the far side of the hallway, apparently about to leave with the people. The protocol of destruction was growing out of control and suddenly, explosions started to be heard all over the place alongside the poison gas leaking out of the cells into the outside. Without time to lose and people to help out, Daredevil rapidly turns to make his exit while Venom was left in the middle of this with Blackout, who was now holding onto her as the massive woman held her in her arms. She had to make her way out, and soon.

Giving the girl a makeshift mask made from webbing to keep her from inhaling the poison, the Symbiote was also filtered it for her. But the explosions grew louder and stronger. The place was going down as it shakes. The exit from the hallway now found itself blocked by rubble that started to fall from the burning building, as fire also extends. It was growing more and more into a hellish landscape that the Symbiote could not dislike more. Turning her back to the laboratory-office, Venom now rushes there while passing through the cloud of toxin and the explosions. Not enough to hurt her, but enough to make her uncomfortable. Yet, she had to rush, Blackout still needed to breathe.

A few seconds and she was already in the laboratory and breaking through to make her way further down from where Crossbones and Castle left. The door to the lowest levels was apparently some kind of safe passage outside. Somewhat small for her hulking form but she still rushed there, breaking the walls in her path as she takes the roads almost by inertia. Just trying to escape the explosions behind which grew louder, hotter, fire managing to find its way to the tunnels she used but eventually, she managed to outrun it. Finding herself in a ramp that suddenly leads her further down. For a minute straight, she held the crying girl as they slide down until they are thrown from some kind of large pipe into the channels of the sewer. Venom landing harshly on her side, but barely hurt, and still protecting the girl.

She takes another minute just to lay there, blinking a few times with surprise and awe. The maw of the Symbiote opens and her face is finally free to look around again. Looking down at the girl who is still tightly hugged to her form, she gently rocks her a bit and caresses her head, to calm her down. "There, there...We are safe now..."

The mutant girl had a lot to answer about how she got there. But Edwina was now more keen on just resting for a moment. Her first outing as a superheroine was...A success? She at least wanted to think so. But it was hard to say. She got nothing, aside from the girl to save. But...At least? She controlled herself.

Edwina smiled, then, that did feel good.

~~~~~~

Frank was now in his van. He managed to sneak out as soon as he could with the suit through another exit, and the van itself was now in auto-pilot as it leads him to one of his warehouses. The assault ended up being messy nonetheless. He knew well it would end that way, and he still questions himself why did he even humor the two 'heroes' into not killing. All for nothing, he almost murmurs. But of course. It wasn't all for nothing to him. As he lays back on the van and looks at his side as he tends to his own wounds now, he smirks.

[He did get what he came for.](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marvelcinematicuniverse/images/9/91/WM_mk1Transparent.png/revision/latest?cb=20151218173900)

~~~~~~

Daredevil now stands on the outside, looking like the remains of the fishing plant burn themselves out. He could only hope the other two managed to run away from the scene. But he knew Castle and knew how sturdy he was. Venom looked strong enough to not die from that, he thought. He wasn't entirely worried, at least not for them. Yet, things still didn't make much sense in his mind. Why did the Kingpin keep these people? Mutants? And the Stark technology stolen? It didn't make sense in his mind. This was even above the Kingpin's usual paycheck. It looked...Different.

As he tries to calm down the people who were with him, he now notices how the authorities reach the place too. A van of Stark Industries among them. He stares at it with a slight frown. This would be an interesting talk.

~~~~~~~


End file.
